Food by-products are minor or secondary products obtained in the production process of main products. They play a key role in the circular economy because they acquire new value in terms of reuse and recycling, in order to minimise waste and wastefulness.
Today, by-products of the agro-food chain are mainly used in sectors such as energy production, animal feed or natural fertilisers, but they can also be used in the food industry, as they are rich in antioxidant properties, which can also have positive effects on the shelf-life of finished products.
Indeed, over the years, synthetic antioxidants have mostly been used to increase the shelf life of products. However, as consumers' attention to issues such as the quality of the products they consume has grown, so has their concern about their toxic, mutagenic and carcinogenic potential.
Hence the need to find alternatives that are as effective as they are safe.
Find out how olive leaves, olive pomace, olive mill wastewater and olive stones - the main by-products of the olive oil system - can be used as natural additives in the formulation of biscuits to improve their oxidative stability and extend their shelf-life.