AMESEUTIC

Abstract:

The low valorization of by-products has led to the loss of natural resources. Upcycling is a well-known process for transforming by-products into new products and materials of recognized higher quality than those obtained through conventional valorization methods.

Within this context, almond hulls, beyond being an agro-food by-product that can be used for animal feed, present enormous potential as a source of bioactive compounds.

Specifically, almond hulls are rich in phenolic compounds, including caffeic acid and flavonoids such as quercetin and kaempferol. These compounds are of great interest in the cosmetic field. Several studies have reported the presence of these compounds in the hulls, highlighting their high antioxidant capacity, among other bioactive properties such as photoprotection.

Polyphenols act as natural sunscreens, reducing oxidative stress caused by ultraviolet radiation, mitigating its adverse effects, and decreasing cellular photoaging, DNA damage, and/or skin cancer. Therefore, almond hulls represent a natural and sustainable solution to the growing demand for natural products for human consumption, where there is significant interest in the development of functional cosmetics (cosmeceuticals) based on bioactive compounds.

In this context, different extraction technologies (hydroalcoholic and enzymatic extraction) will be investigated to obtain phenolic acids such as caffeic acid, vanillic acid, protocatechuic acid, among others, and flavonoids like kaempferol and quercetin as natural ingredients to enhance photoprotection in cosmetic products. This will provide a high value-added solution that will allow, in the future, at least 50% of almond hulls to be utilized and valorized.

Leitat’s role in the project: