Recovery and Valorization of Tomato By-products in R&D EU-funded Projects

In the last years, the European Commission has been funding numerous projects regarding the valorization of food wastes. Tomato by-products received great attention especially in Spain, Italy, Greece, and Portugal due to high volumes and high concentration of valuable compounds. Among 40 funded projects about the management of tomato wastes in general, 14 projects are strictly connected to the valorization and exploitation of the tomato residues/by-products after processing and are of great interest for their scientific, technical, and economical outcomes. They received an overall budget of around 37 M€ over 35 years, involving 20 European and 4 non-European countries, with project coordinators located in Germany, the Netherlands, and Italy in most of the cases. This chapter delivers general information about these projects, assessing and reporting scientific and technical results. Moreover, the interconnection is highlighted among them by focusing on the contribution they gave to the European know-how, the management of the by-products and the progress they reached in waste minimization and valorization. Finally, the industrial and environmental outcomes of these projects have been reported by highlighting issues and problems that are still to be overcome

Modern and ancient gold jewellery attributed to the Etruscans: a science-based study

A fibula with a lion and a pair of cluster earrings from the collection of the Florence National Museum of Archaeology, attributed to the Etruscans and said to originate from Populonia but suspected to be modern productions, were studied in the framework of the European project AUTHENTICO. They were compared to genuine objects from this same collection and from the collection of the National Museums Scotland. The study was carried out in situ in Florence with a stereomicroscope equipped with a digital camera, a handheld XRF spectrometer, and the portable LIPS prototype developed by AUTHENTICO. Some objects were studied with SEM and X-radiography. The aim of the study was to show that portable techniques of examination and analysis provide information on gold jewellery that allow the differentiation of modern and ancient productions.La fibule au lion et les boucles d’oreille à motifs floraux de la collection du musée national d’Archéologie de Florence, attribuées aux Étrusques, provenant de Populonia, mais suspectées d’être des productions modernes, ont été étudiées dans le cadre du projet européen AUTHENTICO et comparées à des objets originaux de cette même collection et de la collection des Musées Nationaux d’Écosse. L’étude a été réalisée in situ avec une loupe binoculaire équipée d’un appareil photo numérique, un analyseur de fluorescence X portable miniaturisé et le LIPS portable développé dans le cadre du projet AUTHENTICO. Certains objets ont été sélectionnés pour analyse au MEB et par radiographie. Le but de ce travail est de montrer que les informations obtenues grâce aux techniques portables d’examen et d’analyse permettent de différentier les productions modernes des anciennes

Lycopene-containing Tablets Production from Tomato Peels by Environment-friendly Extraction: Simulation and Discussion

This work aims to model the extraction process of lycopene from tomato peels using a conventional or a "green" solvent, which could be more environment-friendly, and its subsequent encapsulation. The Aspen Plus® software is used to this end. Different cases considering alternative extracting solvents, as well as the recycling of recovered solvent streams and water are evaluated and compared. The raw materials to be considered in an inventory analysis are tomato peels from local industries, solvents, drying agents and soft capsules. Based on literature data and using MS Excel® worksheets, the process mass and energy balances are set up and, hence, the extraction yield is evaluated, while the solvent recovery stage is simulated and optimized in Aspen Plus®. The economic potential of these cases is calculated by considering the cost of utilities, product and by-product sales, wastewater treatment, and raw material costs. Results show that tomato peels can be appealing for lycopene extraction and valorization. The productivity of lycopene-containing tablets is appreciably large: 12000 pz/h of lycopene-containing tablets after extraction with ethyl acetate and 3500 pz/h in the case of limonene were obtained. Moreover, the predicted gross profit is reasonably attractive, with 39 M€/year for the conventional process and 11 M€/year for the "green" alternative

Set-up and Mass Balances on Soxhlet Extraction Tests in "Learning by Doing" of Process Engineering Students

International audienceA group of bachelor students undertaking a training in a chemical engineering lab class has been involved by the lecturer in the Soxhlet extraction of compounds of interest from agri-food residues. Beyond pursuing experimental practice and investigating solid-liquid extraction, the lab training received added value by the engineering objectives to which the students were oriented: 1) setting up and verifying the closure of the macroscopic mass balances – never reported in the literature according to the authors’ investigation – on the Soxhlet apparatus; 2) quantifying the heat duty of a Soxhlet test as a function of the solvent choice.Roasted hazelnut cuticles and tomato pomace from industrial food transformation processes were used for testing. Two cases were raised to the students’ attention: I. the solvent and the solid to be extracted are perfectly anhydrous; II. water is present in both the tested solids and the extraction solvent. A scheme of the material flows in the Soxhlet experimental procedure was developed together with the trained students. Based on this, the mass balances were written, yielding three simple equations for dry solids, solvent and water. Their solution, after some simplifying assumptions, was quite straightforward and intuitive for the students. All in all, the Soxhlet experimental activity proved to be not only reliable and accurate, but also attractive and mind-opening

Set-up and Mass Balances on Soxhlet Extraction Tests in learning by Doing of Process Engineering Students

A group of Bachelor students undertaking a training in a chemical engineering lab class has been involved by the lecturer in the Soxhlet extraction of compounds of interest from agri-food residues. Beyond pursuing experimental practice and investigating solid-liquid extraction, the lab training received added value by the engineering objectives to which the students were oriented: 1) setting up and verifying the closure of the macroscopic mass balances – never reported in the literature according to the Authors’ investigation – on the Soxhlet apparatus; 2) quantifying the heat duty of a Soxhlet test as a function of the solvent choice. Roasted hazelnut cuticles and tomato pomace from industrial food transformation processes were used for testing. Two cases were raised to the students’ attention: I. the solvent and the solid to be extracted are perfectly anhydrous; II. water is present in both the tested solids and the extraction solvent. A scheme of the material flows in the Soxhlet experimental procedure was developed together with the trained students. Based on this, the mass balances were written, yielding three simple equations for dry solids, solvent and water. Their solution, after some simplifying assumptions, was quite straightforward and intuitive for the students. All in all, the Soxhlet experimental activity proved to be not only reliable and accurate, but also attractive and mind-opening

Orfèvrerie moderne et ancienne attribuée aux Étrusques : une étude scientifique

International audienceA fibula with a lion and a pair of cluster earrings from the collection of the Florence National Museum of Archaeology, attributed to the Etruscans and said to originate from Populonia but suspected to be modern productions, were studied in the framework of the European project AUTHENTICO. They were compared to genuine objects from this same collection and from the collection of the National Museums Scotland. The study was carried out in situ in Florence with a stereomicroscope equipped with a digital camera, a handheld XRF spectrometer, and the portable LIPS prototype developed by AUTHENTICO. Some objects were studied with SEM and X-radiography. The aim of the study was to show that portable techniques of examination and analysis provide information on gold jewellery that allow the differentiation of modern and ancient productions.La fibule au lion et les boucles d’oreille à motifs floraux de la collection du musée national d’Archéologie de Florence, attribuées aux Étrusques, provenant de Populonia, mais suspectées d’être des productions modernes, ont été étudiées dans le cadre du projet européen AUTHENTICO et comparées à des objets originaux de cette même collection et de la collection des Musées Nationaux d’Écosse. L’étude a été réalisée in situ avec une loupe binoculaire équipée d’un appareil photo numérique, un analyseur de fluorescence X portable miniaturisé et le LIPS portable développé dans le cadre du projet AUTHENTICO. Certains objets ont été sélectionnés pour analyse au MEB et par radiographie. Le but de ce travail est de montrer que les informations obtenues grâce aux techniques portables d’examen et d’analyse permettent de différentier les productions modernes des anciennes

Apollo. A. 7(1991)

A. 7(1991): Guarino, D. P., Dalla conservazione alla lettura del reperto, P. 4 ; Giorgetti, F., Miccio, M., Pallecchi, P., Pecchioli, R., Indagini sulle caratteristiche tecnologiche e sullo stato di conservazione, P. 15 ; Chiaverini, I., Ostuni, D., Note sulla restituzione fotogrammetrica, P. 19 ; Romito, M., La villa romana di San Leonardo a Salerno: Nota sull'indagine archeologica, P. 23 ; Cifelli, F., I prodotti piroclastici del 79 d.C. negli scavi archeologici di San Leonardo (Sa), P. 27 ; Natella, P., Un nuovo «corrector Lucaniae et Brittiorum», P. 39 ; De Feo, R., La chiesa di Santa Maria «della Lama» di Salerno: L'architettura Rosalba De Feo, P. 45 ; d'Aniello, A., La chiesa di Santa Maria «della Lama» di Salerno: Gli affreschi, P. 49 ; François Widemann, F., Le triptyque disparu de la Madonna della Bruna de la cathédrale de Ravello, P. 61 ; Vitolo, S., L'ambone della chiesa di San Giovanni a Toro di Ravello: modalità costruttive, materiali, restauri, P. 77 ; Mauro, D., L'ambone della chiesa di San Giovanni a Toro di Ravello: la decorazione scultorea, P. 89 ; Peduto, P. L'ambone della chiesa di San Giovanni a Toro di Ravello: l'uso della ceramica nei mosaici, P. 103 ; Bertelli, G., L'ambone della chiesa di San Giovanni a Toro di Ravello: il vetro negli amboni di Ravello, P. 110 ; Carrozzini, B., Relazione circa frammenti di materiali colorati provenienti dall'ambone del Duomo di Ravello, P. 112 ; Widemann, F., L'ambone della chiesa di San Giovanni a Toro di Ravello: gli affreschi, P. 119

Progress and Harmonization of Gene Editing to Treat Human Diseases (Proceeding of COST Action CA21113 GenE-HumDi)

The European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST) is an intergovernmental organization dedicated to funding and coordinating scientific and technological research in Europe, fostering collaboration among researchers and institutions across countries. Recently, COST Action funded the "Genome Editing to treat HumanDiseases" (GenE-HumDi) network, uniting various stakeholders such as pharmaceuticalcompanies, academic institutions, regulatory agencies, biotech firms, and patient advocacy groups. GenE-HumDi's primary objective is to expedite the application of genome editing for therapeutic purposes in treating human diseases. To achieve this goal, GenE-HumDi is organized in several working groups, each focusing on specific aspects. These groups aim to enhance genome editing technologies, assess delivery systems, address safety concerns, promote clinical translation, and develop regulatory guidelines. The network seeks to establish standard procedures and guidelines for these areas to standardize scientific practices and facilitate knowledge sharing. Furthermore, GenE-HumDi aims to communicate its findings to the public in accessible yet rigorous language, emphasizing genome editing's potential to revolutionize the treatment of many human diseases. The inaugural GenE-HumDi meeting, held in Granada, Spain, in March 2023, featured presentations from experts in the field, discussing recent breakthroughs in delivery methods, safety measures, clinical translation, and regulatory aspects related to gene editing