Agri and food waste valorisation co-ops based on flexible multi-feedstocks biorefinery processing technologies for new high added value. (AgriMax)

Approximately one third of all food produced globally is wasted every year throughout the whole value chain from farmers to consumers. To extract the significant amounts of valuable compounds contained in these wastes, AgriMax will combine affordable and flexible processing technologies (ultrasound assisted and solvent extraction, filtration, thermal and enzymatix treatments) for the valorization of side streams from the horticultural culture and food processing industry to be used in a cooperative approach by local stakeholders. through the selection of case-scenarios previously developed to a pilot scale by the participating RTOs and their industrial transfer in new applications as food additives, packaging and agricultural materials among others, the project will disclose the holistic potential of four new agro-value chains (residues and by products from the culture and processing of tomato,cereals,olives,potato). Any by-product generated along the production cycle will be valorized in a cascade manner to reach over 40% of high value use of the waste. this will lead to additional production of active ingredients in lower concentrtaion, but also fibres,biogas and fertilizers from the left biomass( the latter with the aim of being used in closed loop in the culture of the cropsused in the project to prevent soil impoverishinng). an LCA and LCC will also study the best approach to minimize he environmental impact of the new value chains without jeopardizing the cost effectiveness of the operations. The pilot multi-feedstock bio-refinery procesees will be validated in two demonstration sites in Spain and Italy. Societal,ethical,safety,techno-feasibility and regulatory aspect will be studied. Last but not least, a business model and platform for communication betweem the potential raw materials suppliers will be set up to maximize the use of the cooperative treatment plants throughout the year.