CARIPLO-SOAVE - Serra (DCM.AD004.045)

Thematic area

Chemical sciences and materials technology

Project area

Structure responsible for the research project

Istituto di Scienze e Tecnologie Chimiche "Giulio Natta" (SCITEC)

Project manager

STEFANO SERRA
Phone number: 0223993076
Email: stefano.serra@cnr.it

Abstract

The aim of the SOAVE project is to develop new methods based on biocatalysed transformations in order to obtain high-value chemicals, such as functional food ingredients and pharmaceuticals, starting from the side-stream products resulting from the refining process of vegetable oils. These compounds, namely diacylglycerols, monoacylglycerols, free fatty acids, phospholipids, tocopherols, sterols, squalene, pigments, waxes, aldehydes, ketones, triterpene alcohols and metals, may affect the quality of the final product and usually are removed from the oils and regarded as waste material.
This proposal considers the possibility to find a different fate for these materials and use part of them as renewable feedstock for the production of value added chemicals. Biocatalytic procedures, based on the use of either whole cell microorganisms or isolated enzymes, will be developed to isolate and purify compounds from the oil refining waste, or to transform some of the components into other products of higher commercial value

Start date of activity

24/04/2018

Keywords

biotransformation, vegetable oils, enzymes

Last update: 05/06/2025