GO PISTABIOTECH

What is an Operational Group?

An Operational Group (OG) is a group of actors with different profiles, such as farmers, researchers, universities, etc. to be able to jointly address a specific problem or opportunity from a multi-sector approach.

PISTABIOTECH Operational Group

This project aims to utilize biotechnologically the by-products generated in pistachio processing, including the water used in peeling, within a circular economy context.

Goals

• Characterize the current production and management of pistachio by-products in the Community of Madrid, including a market study and analysis of processing methods (dry and wet peeling).
• Evaluate and compare the by-products generated according to variety, cultivation regime (dryland/irrigated) and type of management (conventional/ecological), identifying their chemical composition and valorization potential.
• Extract and characterize bioactive and volatile compounds (such as polyphenols and essential oils) present in by-products, with potential application in the food, cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries.
• Fractionate the lignocellulosic biomass of the by-products to obtain fractions enriched in cellulose and lignin, using sustainable chemical processes (Kraft, organosolv, green solvents).
• Develop new materials and products: bioactive and biodegradable films for packaging made from cellulose and activated carbon made from lignin for environmental applications.
• Analyze the sustainability of the processes developed, including carbon footprint, energy efficiency and economic viability.
• Transferring the knowledge generated to the agri-food sector, promoting the adoption of circular economy practices and the creation of new business models based on the valorization of waste.

Components

The PISTABIOTECH Operational Group is composed of 6 entities who participate in different categories to achieve the development of the project:

Informative material

News and publications