ChitoFoods

Proposal objectives and challenges

The development of environmental-friendly approaches to produce high-added value compounds is a field of research that has attracted the interest of the scientific community, industry and consumers. The last decades, there is an increasing demand for foods that not only have high nutritional and sensorial quality but also deliver health promoting benefits through certain ingredients, namely “bioactive” or “functional” ones. Moreover, emphasis is given on the production of healthy products without the use of synthetic chemical food additives. Towards this direction and in order to protect both public health and environment, agrifood by-products, generated in large amounts worldwide, can be exploited as a promising source of valuable compounds for novel food applications. 

In this view, the overall objective of ChitoFOODs project is the integration of circular economy and Green Chemistry towards the valorization of agrifood by-products of Greece, and more specifically of Northern Greece, aiming at the recovery of compounds for the development of novel functional foods, natural food additives (e.g. preservatives, antioxidants) and active food packaging materials.

Our Objective

To achieve this goal, the specific objectives that have been identified are:

The development of environmental-friendly methodologies following the principles of Green Chemistry for the recovery of valuable compounds (e.g. phenolic compounds) from agrifood by-products of Northern Greece, with focus on rice (Oryza sativa L.), pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) and peach (Prunus persica) production that generate different types and quantities of by-products and wastes.

The development of effective chitosan-based delivery systems for these compounds that offer protection and stability against temperature, pH changes, light, oxygen etc. during processing and storage of a food product, controlled and targeted release as well increased bioavailability (i.e. absorption in the systemic circulation).

The incorporation of these delivery systems (a) in various foodstuffs in order to produce novel functional foods and/or to replace, entirely or partially, conventional synthetic food additives and (b) in edible films for the production of intelligent food packaging materials, reinforced with natural antioxidants, antimicrobial agents etc., towards improving food quality and preventing food spoilage.

Graphical representation of the specific objectives of the ChitoFOODs project:

Agricultural byproducts and wastes generated by the rice, pomegranate and peach production.

Recovery of bioactive compounds (e.g. phenolic compounds, carotenoids) in the form of extracts or pure compounds.

Encapsulation in chitosan-based nanoparticles and films for protection and delivery.

Functional foods
Antioxidants
Preservatives
Colorants
Active packaging materials

Work Packages

Work Package 1: Project Management

Objectives:

  • To coordinate and supervise the ChitoFOODs project according to the work plan
  • To monitor the overall project achievements and control the scientific quality and timing of the project deliverables in order to ensure a smooth workflow
  • To carry out the overall financial and administrative management

Work Package 2: Collection, extraction and characterization of the agrifood by-products

Objectives:

  • To collect the agrifood by-products of interest, namely rice hulls and bran, pomegranate peels and seeds as well as peach peels and kernels
  • To optimize extraction conditions for the major bioactive compounds
  • To develop suitable analytical methodologies for the determination of the selected major bioactive compounds

Work Package 3: Preparation of chitosan-based nanoparticles loaded with by-products extracts

Objectives:

  • To prepare chitosan nanoparticles loaded with extracts of the examined by-products
  • To characterize physicochemically the obtained chitosan particles with an array of techniques
  • To investigate the in vitro release kinetics of the encapsulated bioactive compounds under a variety of conditions
  • To examine the thermal and storage stability of the encapsulated bioactive compounds

Work Package 4: Preparation of chitosan-based intelligent food packaging materials for control release of bioactive compounds

Objectives:

  • To prepare chitosan-based intelligent food packaging materials (edible films) reinforced with by-products extracts for controlled release and enhancement of the quality and safety of packaged foods
  • To examine the impact of these compounds on the physicochemical properties of the produced packaging edible films

Work Package 5: Evaluation of bioaccessibility/bioavailability, in vitro bioactivity and antimicrobial properties

Objectives:

  • To determine the bioaccessibility/bioavailability of the bioactive compounds in the chitosan-based nanoparticles using an in vitro gastrointestinal digestion model
  • To examine their in vitro antioxidant activity and to study their antimicrobial properties against various common food spoilage and pathogenic microorganisms

Work Package 6: Technological exploitation - Applications

Objectives:

  • To incorporate the produced chitosan-based nanoparticles in food systems towards the development of functional foods and also as an alternative to synthetic food additives
  • To use chitosan-based edible films on various foodstuffs to extent their self-life inhibiting oxidation and microbial spoilage that constitute the main problems affecting food quality

Work Package 7: Dissemination activities

Objectives:

  • Providing information about the project, its objectives and results to a wide audience but also specifically to the relevant scientific community at national and international level
  • Presenting the project at scientific conferences, international exhibitions and events focused on food, health and nutrition.

Research Team

Our team consists of 9 members with sufficient knowledge to the field.

Dr. Ioannis Mourtzinos

Principal Investigator, Assistant Professor in Food Chemistry and Analysis, Laboratory of Food Chemistry and Biochemistry, Department of Food Science and Technology, School of Agriculture, AUTH

Dr. Athanasia Goula

Associate Professor in Design and Optimization of Food Processing, Department of Food Science and Technology, School of Agriculture, AUTH

Dr. Athina Lazaridou

Associate Professor in Food Physical Chemistry, Laboratory of Food Chemistry and Biochemistry, Department of Food Science and Technology, School of Agriculture, AUTH

Dr. Nikolaos Nenadis

Assistant Professor of Food Chemistry and Technology, Laboratory of Food Chemistry and Technology, School of Chemistry, AUTH

Dr. Eleni Zimvrakaki

Laboratory Teaching Staff, Faculty of Agriculture, AUTH

Dr. Anastasia Kyriakoudi

Chemist, MSc, PhD in Food Chemistry and Technology, Post-doctoral researcher at the Laboratory of Food Chemistry and Biochemistry, Department of Food Science and Technology, School of Agriculture, AUTH

Dr. Kyriakos Kaderides

Chemical Engineer, MSc, PhD, Post-doctoral researcher at the Laboratory of Food Processing and Engineering, Department of Food Science and Technology, School of Agriculture, AUTH

Nikoletta Solomakou

Agronomist, MSc, PhD Candidate at the Laboratory of Food Processing and Engineering, Department of
Food Science and Technology, School of Agriculture, AUTH

Stamatia Christaki

Dietitian-Nutritionist, MSc, PhD Candidate at the Laboratory of Food Chemistry and Biochemistry,
Department of Food Science and Technology, School of Agriculture, AUTH

Dr. Ioannis Mourtzinos

Principal Investigator, Assistant Professor in Food Chemistry and Analysis, Laboratory of Food Chemistry and Biochemistry, Department of Food Science and Technology, School of Agriculture, AUTH

Dr. Athanasia Goula

Associate Professor in Design and Optimization of Food Processing, Department of Food Science and Technology, School of Agriculture, AUTH

Dr. Athina Lazaridou

Associate Professor in Food Physical Chemistry, Laboratory of Food Chemistry and Biochemistry, Department of Food Science and Technology, School of Agriculture, AUTH

Dr. Nikolaos Nenadis

Assistant Professor of Food Chemistry and Technology, Laboratory of Food Chemistry and Technology, School of Chemistry, AUTH

Dr. Eleni Zimvrakaki

Laboratory Teaching Staff, Faculty of Agriculture, AUTH

Dr. Anastasia Kyriakoudi

Chemist, MSc, PhD in Food Chemistry and Technology, Post-doctoral researcher at the Laboratory of Food Chemistry and Biochemistry, Department of Food Science and Technology, School of Agriculture, AUTH

Dr. Kyriakos Kaderides

Chemical Engineer, MSc, PhD, Post-doctoral researcher at the Laboratory of Food Processing and Engineering, Department of Food Science and Technology, School of Agriculture, AUTH

Nikoletta Solomakou

Agronomist, MSc, PhD Candidate at the Laboratory of Food Processing and Engineering, Department of
Food Science and Technology, School of Agriculture, AUTH

Stamatia Christaki

Dietitian-Nutritionist, MSc, PhD Candidate at the Laboratory of Food Chemistry and Biochemistry,
Department of Food Science and Technology, School of Agriculture, AUTH

Our latest news

  • May 31, 2022·

Kick Off meeting

On the 15th of February 2022, the Kick Off meeting of the program “Chitosan-based nanoparticles and films loaded with agrifood by-product extracts for novel food…

Contact Us

Lets start Working

The overall objective of the present project is the integration of circular economy and Green Chemistry towards the valorization of agrifood by-products of Greece, and more specifically of Northern Greece, aiming at the recovery and delivery of compounds for the development of novel functional foods, natural food additives (e.g. preservatives, antioxidants) and active food packaging materials. 

Facebook Twitter Youtube