The project aims to demonstrate that sustainability and efficiency can be applied to agricultural and industrial practices by researching and boosting the potential of by-products through their valorisation in a number of new value chains. The project started in July 2017 and ran until June 2020.
Project objectives
CITRUSPACK develops the potential of citrus waste to diversify and grow farmers/producers' income through its valorisation into new value chains:
- Implement a circular economy across sectors: use natural fibres from peels as a cheap, natural additive to reinforce 100% bio-based, biodegradable bottles and jars, and use pulp residues as antioxidants, pectins or essential oils in creams.
- Optimise waste management in citrus juice production, revalorising at least 80% of AMC's fruit agrowaste (orange, lemon, clementine).
- Become a competitive market solution for bio-based, biodegradable plastics in premium juices and cosmetic creams, cutting fossil-resource dependence.
- Reduce food waste with more sustainable processes, including cold pasteurization and High Pressure Process (HPP) that extends juice life up to 45 days.
- Obtain full validation and pre-norm testing under a new commercial brand, with all necessary certifications.
- Test market acceptance through in-store consumer experience, collecting feedback from at least 1,000 consumers.
From vegetal by-product to bottle
These vegetal side-products are used as natural additives to reinforce 100% biodegradable bottles and containers, and other elements complete the cycle in cream composition — valorising up to 80% of the raw material generated in transformation.
Expected results
Researchers and companies offer three high-added-value solutions for the packaging and cosmetic sectors. The juice bottles — manufactured by blown extrusion — are the first demonstrator. "We want to test and quantify consumer acceptance during the project to reach the market", Carolina Peñalva, Project coordinator and Head of Packaging at Aitiip.
Besides being bio-based and eco-friendly, bottles must comply with very serious technical requirements. Creams with natural additives from these by-products are also produced, with packaging reinforced with the same material as the bottles.
The consortium
Coordinated by Aitiip, with AMC Innova Juice And Drinks S.L. (Spain), EROSKI (Spain), OWS nv (Belgium), Plastipolis (France) and TECOS (Slovenia). CITRUSPACK is part of the LIFE Programme, the EU's financial instrument dedicated exclusively to the environment.
