Acorns, fruits of Quercus trees, are a very abundant food in Portugal, to the point of being in the countryside without any use. However, this fruit has potential use in the prevention of specific diseases, such as cardiovascular or neurodegenerative diseases, which triggered the interest in integrating acorns in the human diet, developing products that are part of the concept of circular economy. Acorn drinks are products with interesting nutritional and functional potential, a characteristic that results from the presence of several bioactive compounds (such as antioxidants) and particular nutritional characteristics, such as high levels of unsaturated fatty acids and the absence of gluten and lactose. These characteristics make this type of product particularly interesting for consumers with specific dietary needs, such as celiac or lactose intolerant. However, despite their potential, these drinks have a very short shelf life, so it is necessary to explore stabilization alternatives that, being effective, do not result in altering their functional potential. High pressure processing is a cold processing technology that will be used to reduce initial microbial loads, preserve nutritional and functional properties, and prolong the short life of this product.
Acorn drink; Circular economy; High pressure processing
| Financing Program | Execution Date | Global Budget |
|---|---|---|
| NORTH-01-0246-FEDER-000043 | Start date: 01/09/2017 End date: 02/06/2020 | TOTAL: € 879,920.40 FEDER: € 210,000.00 |
| Contacts | Phone | |
|---|---|---|
| ESB Coordinator Eduardo Luis Cardoso | ecardoso@porto.ucp.pt | +351 22 558 0001 |
| Website | |
| Download File | fichagruponewfood-bebidabolotaen.pdf |
