Project-MEDACORNET – MORECoLAB – Montanhas de Investigação

Identification & Background

Project title: Redeem acorn as a traditional Mediterranean superfood

Project Code: PRIMA/0006/2022

Main objective: In the concern with the limitation of natural resources, together with current trends and consumption needs, it is urgently necessary to implement sustainable food systems capable of producing healthier products. The objective of the proposed project “MEDACORNET” is to increase adherence to the Mediterranean diet, through the development of new and certified products based on acorn, as a traditional Mediterranean superfood, as well as promoting the actors involved in its production and transformation. The data generated will be used to define dietary guidelines/ recommendations and promotion strategies for the adoption of acorn as an ingredient in healthy and sustainable Mediterranean diets. In short, MEDACORNET aims to unlock the acorn value chain, an ancient traditional ingredient of Mediterranean cuisine produced by the diversity of oak species, currently wasted.

Technical and scientific coordinator: LandraTech
Partners:
Instituto Politécnico de Leiria
Instituto Politécnico de Bragança
MORE CoLAB – Laboratório Colaborativo Montanhas de Investigação
University of Bari
University of Osijek
Abdelmalek Essaâdi University
University of Tunis El Manar
Mechanics Laboratory Computational- University of Tlemcen
GEOAI ANALYTICS, S.L

Date of approval: 2023-04-17
Start date: 2023-07-01
Completion date: 2026-06-30

Total eligible investment: €1,251,600.04
European Union financial support: €1,251,600.04

Assessment of the distribution of oak forest in the Mediterranean basin, as well as value chain and stakeholder mapping.
Rescue of traditional/historical uses of acorns for human consumption.
Characterization of the nutritional profile of acorns of the most relevant Quercus spp.
Design of a pilot line capable of producing edible flour from acorns of different species.
Development of new healthy, gluten-free and acorn-based food products.
Evaluation of health benefits, such as prebiotic and antioxidant effects, of low-carbon acorns.
Exploitation of the waste from acorn processing to improve the sustainability of the transformation process.
Development of a targeted and efficient communication strategy to raise awareness among stakeholders about acorn’s potential as a superfood.
Reducing the fragmentation of the acorn value chain through the creation of a digital market.
Assessment of the socio-economic and environmental impacts of the renewal of the Mediterranean acorn value chain.
Development of dietary guidelines and promotion strategies to promote the adoption of acorns as a sustainable and healthy ingredient for the Mediterranean diet.

Activity 1: Collection of acorns from the Mediterranean region.
Activity 2: Design of an acorn processing line into gluten-free edible granules.
Activity 3: Biochemical, nutritional and functional characterization of acorns and acorn flour/granules of different species.
Activity 4: Study of storage and conservation conditions of acorn flour.
Activity 5: Development of innovative methods to produce new acorn-based foods.
Activity 6: Preliminary assessment of by-products from acorn processing for wider industrial applications.
Activity 7: Communication, dissemination, impact assessment and exploitation.
Activity 8: Project management.projeto.

Analysis of the distribution of the Mediterranean oak forest and acorn value chain and mapping of stakeholders.
Transformation of tannin-rich acorns into edible flour/granulate.
Incorporation of acorn ingredients in food products.
Characterization of acorns, extracts/ingredients of acorns and final food products.
Digital market for acorn trading.
Adoption of acorn as a sustainable and healthy Mediterranean food ingredient.

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