Abstract
The aim of this interdisciplinary project is to use by-products from virgin olive oil production to improve circularity of fish rearing in an aquaponic plant and to valorise some fishery products of reduced commercial interest. The main objectives are: i) evaluation of the effect of phenols from olive vegetation water on immunoresponse and brood stock performance of fish during rearing; ii) evaluation of the effectiveness of rapid measurement systems in predicting best technological destinations for fresh fillet, as well as the freshness variation during storage; iii) possible employment of the vegetable part (Ulva spp) of the aquaponic system and underutilized fishery products as ingredients for new food product formulations. The aim of this interdisciplinary project is to use by-products from virgin olive oil production to improve circularity of fish rearing in an aquaponic plant and to valorise some fishery products of reduced commercial interest. The main ob-jectives are: i) evaluation of the effect of phenols from olive vegetation water on immunoresponse and brood stock performance of fish during rearing; ii) evaluation of the effectiveness of rapid measurement systems in predicting best technological destinations for fresh fillet, as well as the freshness variation during storage; iii) possible employment of the vegetable part (Ulva spp) of the aquaponic system and underutilized fishery products as ingredients for new food product formulations.
Results achieved
The project focused on two main research activities: - Aquaponic fish farming. A phenolic-rich extract obtained from olive vegetation water was successfully incorporated into a commercial feed for cyprinids and evaluated in an aquaponic system for tench (Tinca tinca) rearing. Fish fed the enriched diet showed slightly higher growth performance, improved freshness during refrigerated storage, and lower microbial counts than the control group. While no substantial differences were observed in nutrient composition or fatty acid profile, hydroxytyrosol (1.9 mg/kg) was detected in the muscle of fish receiving the enriched diet, demon-strating the transfer of olive-derived bioactive compounds from feed to edible tissues. Tench fillets were subsequently used to develop an emulsified ready-to-eat product formulated with olive pâté and the marine alga Ulva lactuca. The resulting product showed a good nutritional profile and significantly lower lipid oxidation than the control formulation. - Valorization of underutilized fish species. Red mullet (Mullus barbatus) and horse mackerel (Trachurus trachurus) were selected for the development of innovative surimi-like products and fish burgers. Olive-derived phenolic extracts (ODPE) were incorporated into both products and their effects on quality during refrigerated storage were evaluated. Comprehensive microbiological, chemical and instrumental analyses showed that the addition of ODPE effectively lim-ited lipid oxidation and modified the volatile profile without affecting the nutritional composition of the products. Both formulations maintained satisfactory microbiological quality throughout storage. Phenolic compounds were retained during storage, even though their concentration progressively decreased over time. The results demonstrate the po-tential of olive mill by-products to improve the quality and stability of innovative seafood products while promoting the valorization of fish species of low commercial value.Dettagli del progetto
Responsabile scientifico: Maria Teresa Rodriguez Estrada
Strutture Unibo coinvolte:
Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Agro-Alimentari
Coordinatore:
Università degli Studi di PADOVA(Italy)
Contributo totale Unibo: Euro (EUR) 59.739,00
Durata del progetto in mesi: 24
Data di inizio
12/10/2023
Data di fine:
28/02/2026
