AROMATIC Operational Group: Valorization of essential oils and hydrolates from aromatic plants with low yields
- Type Operational group
- Status In progress
- Execution 2024 -2027
- Assigned Budget 149.400,00 €
- Scope Autonómico
- Autonomous community Aragón
Current distillation methods used to obtain rose essential oil either fail to obtain essential oils or produce very low yields.
The AROMATIC project seeks to increase the yield and quality of rose essential oils and hydrolates. To this end, an innovative mobile prototype will be built for distilling low-yield aromatics, based on the cohobation method. This new process distills the distillate, thereby achieving higher essential oil yields and greater crop profitability.
On the other hand, new food products will be developed by incorporating hydrolates as high-value-added ingredients. Due to their antioxidant and antimicrobial properties, hydrolates can help extend the shelf life of food products; add nutritional value to foods; and enrich their sensory profile, improving the flavor and aroma of products.
To evaluate their quality, the humidity, color, polyphenol content and sensory analysis of the developed products will be analyzed.
The AROMATIC project seeks to increase the yield and quality of rose essential oils and hydrolates. To this end, an innovative mobile prototype will be built for distilling low-yield aromatics, based on the cohobation method. This new process distills the distillate, thereby achieving higher essential oil yields and greater crop profitability.
The activities of the AROMATIC project are as follows:
- Activity 1: Ecological, efficient, and sustainable production of low-yield hydrolates and essential oils from aromatic plants. Task 1.1: Manufacturing a mobile distillation prototype to increase the yield and quality of essential oils and hydrolates. Task 1.2: Distillation testing and validation of the innovative distillation process in a pilot distillation plant. Task 1.3: Rose production and characterization of their essential oils and hydrolates.
- Activity 2: Development of new food products by incorporating hydrolates as high-value-added ingredients. Task 2.1: Testing new formulations for the development of food products from the hydrolates obtained.
- Task 2.2: Quality and shelf-life studies of new products developed from the hydrolates obtained.
- Activity 3: Dissemination and communication of project results. Task 3.1: Dissemination of project results to producers, processors, distributors, and consumers to promote organic production and the consumption of healthy and sustainable foods.
The AROMATIC project is being developed in the context of the valorization of essential oils and hydrolates from low-yielding aromatic plants, such as roses. The project seeks to increase the added value of products obtained from rose cultivation. This will be achieved through the manufacture of an innovative mobile prototype for distilling rose essential oils and the development of new food products incorporating hydrolates as high-value-added ingredients.
The hydrolate will be used as a natural antioxidant additive instead of the synthetic additives commonly used. Other key elements of the project context include organic Rosa Damascena production, sustainable agricultural practices, precision agriculture, and digitalization for the conservation of natural resources.
The initiative is being carried out through a consortium comprised of five entities, including producers, a processing company, a producer association, and two technology centers. The project is aligned with Article 5 of ORDER AGM/289/2024, specifically in the area of increasing added value and efficient management of inputs in the industrialization of agri-food products.
The project is being implemented in various areas of Aragon, including Calamocha (Teruel), Zaragoza, and Calatayud (Zaragoza). The project is consistent with the 2023-2027 PEPAC interventions related to AKIS, supporting knowledge and information transfer, advisory services, and investments in farm modernization.
The overall objective of the project is to valorize the products and byproducts obtained from the distillation of essential oils from low-yield flowers and aromatic plants, such as roses. This will be achieved through: the manufacture of an innovative mobile distillation prototype to increase its yield and quality, and the development of new food products from the oils and hydrolates obtained.
The expected results of the AROMATIC project and their relationship to the main project objectives are:
- Organic production: All production carried out on the project's farms is expected to be organically grown.
- Reducing irrigation water consumption by up to 30% through crop digitalization, improving soil structure and quality in the medium term and reducing soil salinity.
- Increased production yield and quality of essential oils. The economic benefits of using this innovative distillation process compared to the conventional steam distillation method are expected to be very high.
- New uses in the agri-food sector of hydrolates, which are normally used in cosmetics and perfumery:
- Hydrolates, with their high content of phenolic compounds and antibacterial activity, are expected to be used as high-value-added ingredients for the development of new products. They will then be used as natural antioxidant additives to replace synthetic ones, resulting in more natural products while maintaining the quality and shelf life of the newly developed foods.
- Coordinator/entity name: Aragon Foundation for Innovation and Agri-Food Transfer (FITA)
- Postal address: Avda. Montañana, 930, 50059, Zaragoza
- Coordinator/entity email: info@fita-aragon.es
- Telephone: 976713305
- Fundación de Innovación y Transferencia Agroalimentaria de Aragón (FITA)
- MARIANO ROYO GÓMEZ (mariano@sabinadesarrollos.com)
- JOSÉ MARÍA LÁZARO, SA (ruth@taisi.es)
- ASOCIACIÓN DE ESTUDIOS AGRONÓMICOS DE TERUEL(gerente@rosadeteruel.com)
- Centro de Investigación y Tecnología Agroalimentaria de Aragón, CITA (info@cita-aragon.es)
- Fundación de Innovación y Transferencia Agroalimentaria de Aragón (FITA)
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