Research to Transform: Valorising El Bierzo’s Agri-Food Resources
Last Friday, 25 September, our colleague Noelia Flórez-Fernández took part in the European Researchers’ Night with a short talk focusing on the potential of agri-food resources and by-products from El Bierzo as a source of new opportunities for research.
Under the theme “Research to Transform”, the presentation showed how materials generated through agricultural and agri-food activities in the region, such as grape pomace, apple by-products and chestnut residues, can be transformed into valuable raw materials through valorisation strategies and sustainable extraction technologies.
During the talk, concepts such as the circular economy, sustainability and the comprehensive use of resources were addressed. In an accessible and engaging way, the presentation explained how techniques such as ultrasound-assisted extraction can be used to recover bioactive and antioxidant compounds with potential applications in areas including food, cosmetics, biomaterials and biomedical research.
The activity provided an opportunity to bring the public closer to a line of research that is strongly connected to the local area, highlighting the richness of El Bierzo’s agri-food sector and its potential to generate knowledge, innovation and new applications from local resources.
This participation forms part of the SALBIS Research Group’s commitment to science communication and to the development of research closely linked to the needs and opportunities of the region.
