Funded under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP), Mission 4 Component 2 Investment 1.3, Theme 10.
Funded under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP), Mission 4 Component 2 Investment 1.3, Theme 10.
On July 18th and 19th, the first meeting of Spoke 02 of the OnFoods project, will be held at the Faculty of Agriculture, University of Bari.
Spoke 02, coordinated by the National Research Council (CNR), aims to improve the sustainability of food systems through circular economy processes, focusing on the valorization of waste to obtain high-value added products and the implementation of intelligent logistics systems for food distribution.
The research projects within Spoke 02 focus on two main strategies: firstly, applying circular economy approaches to enhance the value of food waste and by-products, resulting in high-value added products, and secondly, developing and implementing smart logistics strategies, digital technologies, and innovative solutions for food distribution, all aimed at enhancing sustainability in the food industry.
5:30-16:45
Spoke 02 Presentation
15:30-15:40
Antonio Logrieco, CNR. Overview Spoke 02
15:40-15:50
Fabio Minervini, UNIBA & Alessandra Verardi, ENEA
Attività WP2.1- New technologies for food waste recovery
15:50-16:00
Angelo Santino, CNR & Lucrezia Lamastra, UNICAT WP2.2- New technologies for food waste reduction
16:00-16:10
Riccardo Manzini, UNIBO (online)
WP2.3 - Digital technologies and solutions for food waste
management and reduction
16:10-16:20
Angela Tumino, POLIMI (online)
WP2.4 - New solutions for sustainable logistics and distribution in agri- food supply chains
16:20-16:30
Discussione e organizzazione lavori del workshop
17:00-17:15
Daniele Del Rio, Università di Parma
Overview OnFoods e prossimi adempimenti
17:15-18:00
Project progress of WP2.1, by project leaders
9:30-10:20
Project progress of WP2.2, by project leaders
11:00-11:30
Project progress of WP2.3, by project leaders
11:40-12:00
Project progress of WP2.4, by project leaders
12:10-12:35
Advancement of company projects
The FAO estimates that globally, one-third of all food produced, particularly in the fruit, vegetable, and fish sectors, is lost or wasted annually, with a total value of $1 trillion. Therefore, reducing food waste is considered by the United Nations and many international institutions as one of the main ways to protect the environment and promote human well-being.
Recently, numerous scientific reports have been published on limiting food waste and methods of treating waste. These publications include strategies for reducing waste production, valorising co- and by-products, and improving waste and industrial by-product management, considered opportunities. This is mainly due to a growing awareness of environmental issues and the high waste disposal costs that limit the food industry's profits, as well as a growing interest in the benefits of potentially marketable components in food waste and by-products.
Instead of the traditional linear economic model of “extract, produce, use, and dispose", a circular economy model based on a production and consumption scheme involving sharing, reusing, refurbishing, and recycling existing materials and products is promoted. In this way, it is possible to generate additional added value and contribute to minimising waste.
During the three years of the OnFoods Spoke 02 project, studies will be produced on the topic of the circular economy centred on three important working directions: new technologies for recovering wasted food, new technologies for waste reduction, and new digital tools for waste management and reduction.
Spoke 2's mission is to concentrate on the food system's sustainability by transforming food waste and by-products into high-value-added products. The project also concentrates on developing and implementing smart logistics strategies and digital and technological innovations in the food distribution framework.
The research activities of WP 2.1 are focused on recovering food waste and by-products using innovative technologies, such as controlled hydrodynamic cavitation and deep eutectic solvents, on extracting bioactive compounds. The new products and processes' safety, market potential, and environmental impact are also evaluated through a comprehensive cradle-to-grave approach.
The main focus of the OnFoods Project's Work Package 2.2 is to develop sustainable and innovative technologies that reduce food waste and increase the efficiency of food production and storage.
The work package includes the development of bio-based active food packaging made of biopolymers and incorporating bioactive compounds, as well as strategies for sanitising fresh food products and using microbial and enzymatic biotechnologies to obtain new foods and added-value compounds. The work package also aims to optimise storage conditions to reduce energy consumption in refrigeration processes and decrease food waste.
Digital technologies play a critical role in the efforts of WP 2.3 to reduce food waste and improve the efficiency of food production and storage.
The research conducted under WP 2.3 aims to create sustainable solutions that support the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and enhance the food system for all.
Specifically, the focus is developing tools to control and assess food waste. These digital tools allow for the monitoring and analysis of food waste and by-products throughout the entire food production and distribution process, facilitating more efficient and sustainable use of resources.
The work package 2.4 is dedicated to finding new and innovative solutions for sustainable logistics and distribution in agri-food supply chains.
These efforts aim to reduce waste, improve sustainability, and create a more circular economy for the benefit of all stakeholders involved.
