CIDAF and four circular innovation projects: from agri-food waste to bio-input and functional ingredient

The circular bioeconomy is opening new avenues for the agri-food sector to transform byproducts and natural resources into high-value solutions : biostimulants, functional ingredients, more efficient animal feed, and natural alternatives to improve crop health and productivity. Four collaborative projects, with significant participation from the Center for Innovation and Development of Functional Foods (CIDAF) , are aligned with this approach, focusing on adding value to agricultural and industrial waste and promoting more sustainable and competitive agriculture. The completed projects have yielded highly valuable data.

These initiatives show how in the AKIS ecosystem innovation projects (such as Operational Groups and other multi-actor models) can connect scientific knowledge, technological development and practical application, generating transferable results for farms, industries and territories.

1) BIOREVALEAF: Olive leaf valorized in biostimulants and functional oils

Olive leaves , one of the most abundant agricultural byproducts of olive groves, have been used as a raw material to obtain compounds of interest through environmentally friendly extraction processes and the support of microorganisms . Key results include the development of biostimulants for agricultural use and enriched functional oils , reinforcing circular fertilization approaches and contributing to food products with improved functional profiles.

2) CHERRY4FOOD: cherry tomato skins and seeds for animal feed and food

Using by-products from cherry tomato processing (especially skins and seeds from preparations such as salmorejo and gazpacho), the project has demonstrated its potential to create functional ingredients with dual applications:

• Ruminant feeds with a focus on efficiency and a lower carbon footprint .
• Foods for human consumption , such as healthy bar- type formulations with good sensory acceptance.

3) MACROALGAE: Andalusian macroalgae as natural agricultural bio-inputs

The project has explored the use of native macroalgae to obtain extracts with biostimulant and/or biocidal effects, evaluated and validated under real field conditions . This work lays the groundwork for industrial scaling and opens opportunities for economic development in coastal areas through new value chains linked to natural resources.

4) TOMAGROUP: tomato waste converted into effective biostimulants

Tomato waste (a product discarded by the fruit and vegetable industry) has been valorized to develop biostimulants applicable through both foliar and root application. The resulting formulations have shown significant improvements in growth , stress response , and fruit quality , reinforcing the role of these inputs in more resilient production strategies.

Common impact: sustainable solutions ready for transfer

Although they use different raw materials and approaches, the four projects share the same logic: closing cycles , reducing waste, and creating practical tools for the sector. Together, they contribute:

• Agricultural bio-inputs (biostimulants and natural extracts) for productivity and resilience.
• Functional ingredients for human and animal food.
• New routes for valorizing by-products with potential for scaling and business.
• Strengthening the multi-actor approach and transfer to the territory.

Dissemination and transfer to the sector

The initiatives have incorporated communication plans with graphic materials , videos , presence in specialized media and information sessions , facilitating the arrival of results to technicians, companies and producers.

Technical guides available

For those who want to delve deeper into objectives, methodologies, results and possible applications, CIDAF provides final technical guides from: BIOREVALEAF , CHERRY4FOOD , MACROALGAE and TOMAGROUP .