Successful Conclusion of the Final Webinar for ALEHOOP and UP4HEALTH Projects

The final webinar for the European projects UP4HEALTH and ALEHOOP was successfully held on Friday, December 13, 2024. This landmark event brought together researchers, industry professionals, regulators, and the general public to showcase the innovative and sustainable solutions developed over the course of these two Horizon 2020 funded projects.

Event Highlights

The webinar featured a series of insightful presentations that highlighted the significant technological advancements made in the valorization of agro-industrial by-products into high-value ingredients for various sectors including food, beverage, cosmetics, and nutraceuticals.

Session 1: UP4HEALTH

The first session was dedicated to the UP4HEALTH project, starting with a presentation by ISANATUR on their pioneering work in transforming olive, grape, and nut by-products into high-value functional ingredients. This was followed by Javier Saez from CONTACTICA, who discussed the optimization of production processes with a life-cycle approach to ensure eco-design and scalability. The session concluded with Filipa Reis and Rossana Cardoso from the Polytechnic Institute of Bragança, who provided insights into the bioactivity and bioavailability of UP4HEALTH’s ingredients, showcasing their effectiveness and potential benefits for consumers.

Session 2: ALEHOOP

The second session focused on the ALEHOOP project, beginning with a comprehensive overview of biomass management and protein extraction from legume by-products, led by ANFACO, TECNALIA, and UVIGO. CONTACTICA presented the sustainable scale-up of these processes, and UVIGO discussed the bioavailability of the extracted proteins for human food applications. The session also highlighted the validation of green macroalgae proteins for animal feed and proteins from legumes and brown macroalgae for human food products, with presentations from Nutrition Sciences and VIDARA. The event concluded with regulatory insights provided by TU Dublin and an engaging Q&A session with the attendees.

Key Achievements

• UP4HEALTH: Successfully transformed over 100 tons of olive and grape waste annually into high-quality functional ingredients, contributing significantly to sustainable production while meeting stringent safety and quality standards.
• ALEHOOP: Demonstrated the feasibility of biomass management and protein extraction from legume by-products, and validated the use of green macroalgae and other plant-based proteins in animal feed and human food products.

Future Prospects

The success of these projects underscores the potential of a circular economy and the importance of innovative approaches in addressing industrial, economic, and social challenges. Both UP4HEALTH and ALEHOOP have paved the way for future research and development in the bioeconomy sector, setting a benchmark for sustainability and innovation.

Conclusion

The final webinar marked a significant milestone in the journey of the UP4HEALTH and ALEHOOP projects. It provided a platform for sharing knowledge, celebrating achievements, and discussing future directions in sustainable bio-innovation. The positive feedback from participants highlights the importance of such collaborative efforts in advancing our understanding and application of sustainable practices.

We thank all the speakers, participants, and organizers for making this event a grand success. Stay tuned for more updates and follow-up activities from the ALEHOOP and UP4HEALTH teams.