PROJECT OVERVIEW

Promotion of Olive Leaf Exploitation for the Production of Nutraceuticals with Intestinal Anti-inflammatory Activity

The main objective of this project is to enhance circular economy and bioeconomy in the olive sector by fully exploiting a byproduct of olive cultivation, such as the leaf, indirectly for the production of nutraceuticals with protective action against intestinal inflammation. This objective will be achieved through the microencapsulation of olive leaf extracts to protect the bioactive compounds with demonstrated anti-inflammatory activity from digestion, so that they reach the colon intact, where they exert their action.

The intestinal anti-inflammatory activity of the microencapsulated extracts will be evaluated using animal models along with their toxicity, interaction of the released bioactive compounds with the intestinal microbiota, and the metabolism of these bioactive compounds in the gastrointestinal tract. Finally, the formulation showing the highest bioactivity will be scaled up to pilot production to produce a small batch of nutraceuticals containing the selected microencapsulated extract for a future preclinical trial in humans.

We have concluded the INTESOLIVE project and we want to share it with you in a video, click to watch.

Project Data:
  • Funding Entity: Junta de Andalucía through the Ministry of Economy, Knowledge, Enterprises and University.
    Co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) (80%), under the ERDF Operational Program of Andalusia 2014-2020.
  • Announcement: Grants for carrying out R&D&I projects, under a competitive bidding process, aimed at private entities qualified as Agents of the Andalusian Knowledge System, within the scope of the Andalusian Plan for Research, Development, and Innovation (PAIDI 2020).
  • Modality: Research projects in collaboration with the productive sector. (Resolution of September 27, 2018, from the General Secretariat of Universities, Research, and Technology).
  • Consortium Partners: Individual project
  • Funding: Amount of the Grant: €183,030.65.
  • Deadline Execution: 2020/2021

INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGIES USED:

  • Spray-drying microencapsulation methodologies ensuring the protection and controlled release of the compounds of interest from olive leaves.
  • Evaluation of the resistance, stability, and controlled release of microencapsulated extracts through in vitro digestions. Simulated gastrointestinal tract.
  • Assessment of the intestinal inflammatory activity of the extracts in in vivo models.
  • Study of the metabolization in the gastrointestinal tract of the bioactive compounds.
  • Development of a nutraceutical at a pilot scale through the scaling up of spray drying microencapsulation.