Projects with DARPA grant – Grups Operatius 2023

Participants: UNIÓ ORIGEN, SCCL (Leader), ANDRÉS PINTALUBA, SA (beneficiary), INGREDALIA, SL (beneficiary), ANIMAL DATA ANALYTICS, SL (contracted), INNOVACC (coordinator), EURECAT (OPI)

Project summary

The projected increase in protein demand by 2050, combined with the environmental pressures from animal production, creates an unsustainable scenario. This situation highlights the need for a protein transition, which involves replacing animal proteins with alternatives derived from plant sources, algae, fungi, insects, or cultivated meat. One of the major challenges is the variability in the nutritional quality of alternative proteins, which arises from extraction processes and the original source, particularly during critical life stages such as growth and aging.

The SAN-PROT project addresses this issue by developing new sources of alternative proteins derived from agricultural by-products, such as olive pomace, which contribute to environmental sustainability. Additionally, it proposes a multidisciplinary approach, collaborating with various entities to ensure innovative solutions that optimize existing resources. The project also seeks to reduce dependency on soy as a protein source in animal feed, thus improving the sustainability of animal production. Ensuring nutritional quality will be a priority, especially when evaluating products intended for consumers in critical stages of life.

The main objective of SAN-PROT is to valorize the olive oil extraction residue, known as olive pomace, as a new protein source for various applications. To achieve this objective, the project sets the following specific goals: to identify and characterize the protein content and profile of pomace from two olive varieties; to study the recovery, concentration, and isolation of protein using three different processes: solvent extraction, enzymatic hydrolysis, and solid-state fermentation; to characterize the recovered protein, and finally, to assess the protein quality of the pomace protein in pig feed formulations, aiming to demonstrate the benefits of this protein in the diet of piglets, improving productive parameters and contributing to a more sustainable pig industry.

Action of the CAP Strategic Plan 2023-2027 co-financed by: