The objective of ROSEHAM project has been the development of an appropriate methodology in order to optimize the extraction of valuable phytochemicals from the residues that are collected after the distillation of roses or other Greek aromatic herbs (lavender, oregano, etc) when producing essential oils.
As a first step, the residues were thoroughly evaluated by measuring their physicochemical properties, their biological activity and their sensory attributes, with the purpose of applying these valuable by-products for producing novel foods, with improved functional properties, an application that also contributes to enhancing the ecological sustainability. Besides maximizing the commercial exploitation of the by-products (that in the present practice are either directly rejected to the environment or underused as animal feed), the scope of this project was to bridge the gap between aromatic herb cultivator and end user (meat industry) in common attempt to solve an existing, rather important issue, that is the use of nitrates as preservatives.
This was accomplished by introducing -in the first place- the extracts (obtained from the herbs/roses’ distillation by-products) into selected meat products, replacing partially the traditional nitrates used as preservatives, and conducting a thorough study of the properties (microbial load, color, shelf life) of the innovative products.
Project Τitle: Sustainable utilization of aromatic herbs residues for the production of high added value meet products (ROSEHAM)
Project Duration: 30/9/2021-29/11/2023
Project URL: https://roseham.gr/
Project Framework & Funding: Operational Program “Competitiveness, Entrepreneurship and Innovation”, under the name “RESEARCH-CREATE-INNOVATE”. Funding: 840.561,25 €
Scientific coordinator (UNIWA): Prof. Maria Giannakourou
Consortium – Partners:
- University of West Attica, Department of Food Science and Technology
- Agricultural Cooperative of aromatical and pharmaceutical plants and fruits and vegetables, Voio, Kozani, Greece
- Cold cuts Kassaki LP
- DIADIKASIA BUSINESS CONSULTING
Research Publications / Results / Patents
- Publications on peer reviewed scientific journals
Konteles S.J.; Stavropoulou N.A., Thanou I.V., Mouka E.; Kousiaris V., Stoforos G.N., Gogou E., Giannakourou, M.C. 2024. Εnriching Cured Meat Products with Bioactive Compounds Recovered from Rosa damascena and Rosmarinus officinalis L. Distillation By-Products: The Pursuit of Natural Antimicrobials to Reduce the Use of Nitrites. Appl. Sci. 2023, 13, 13085. https://doi.org/10.3390/
Tsiaka T., Stavropoulou N.A., Giannakourou M.C., Strati I.F., Sinanoglou V.J. 2023. Optimization of Ultrasound-Assisted Extraction and Characterization of the Phenolic Compounds in Rose Distillation Side Streams Using Spectrophotometric Assays and High-Throughput Analytical Techniques. Molecules 2023, 28, 7403. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules28217403
- Presentations in international scientific conferences
Tsiaka T, Kanioura A., Pilatos S., Roussos I., Vountzouklis G., Stavropoulou N., Gogou E., Zoumpoulakis P., Strati I.F., Sinanoglou V.J., Giannakourou M. Towards the valorization of distillation byproducts from Mediterranean herbs by implementing ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) and experimental design (DOE) models. 13th IMA 2023, Greece, September 17-20, 2023, Chania, Crete.
Spyridon J. Konteles, Thalia Tsiaka, VassiliaJ. Sinanoglou, IriniF. Strati, Panagiotis Zoumpoulakis, Charisios Savvas, George N. Stoforos, Natalia Stavropoulou, and Maria C. Giannakourou. Sustainable application of aromatic plant distribution by-products for an alternative meat preservation. Poster presentation at ISEKI-Food 2023, July 05-07, 2023, Paris, France.
Thalia Tsiaka, Vassilia J. Sinanoglou, Irini F. Strati, Natalia Stavropoulou, Aimilia Kaltsa, Dimitris Milonas, Lambrini-Marina Bardousi and Maria C. Giannakourou. In vitro assessment of the antimicrobial activity of ultrasound-assisted extracts of aromatic plants by-products against microbiota isolated on selective media from spoiled vacuum –packaged cooked meat. Poster presentation at ICEF 14, 19-23 July 2023, Nantes, France.
Thalia Tsiaka, A. Kanioura, S. Pilatos, I. Roussos, G. Vountzouklis, N. Stavropoulou, E. Gogou, P. Zoumpoulakis, I.F. Strati, Vassilia J. Sinanoglou, and Maria C. Giannakourou. Towards the valorization of distillation byproducts from Mediterranean herbs by implementing ultrasound-assisted extraction 9UAE) and experimental design (DOE) models. Poster presentation in the 13th International Conference on Instrumental Methods of Analysis: Modern Trends and Applications (17 – 20 September, 2023, Chania, Crete)
Thalia Tsiaka, D. Giannis, G. Koletsou, S. Theofilatos, D. Zotos, N. Stavropoulou, E. P. Zoumpoulakis, I.F. Strati, Vassilia J. Sinanoglou, and Maria C. Giannakourou. Optimization of ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) for the recovery of phenolic compounds from basil and lemon balm by products and identification of their phytochemical profile by IR and LC-MS/MS. Poster presentation in the 13th International Conference on Instrumental Methods of Analysis: Modern Trends and Applications (17 – 20 September, 2023, Chania, Crete)
- Patents
Submission of an application for the granting of a Patent to the Hellenic Industrial Property Organisation (OBI), Application No.: 20230100985
