UP-APPLE4HEALTH

Upcycling Alcobaça Apple Residues into an Innovative Sugar-Free Fruit Spread for Sustainable Healthcare

 

UP-APPLE4HEALTH is an exploratory circular-economy project aiming to upcycle out-of-specification Alcobaça apples (whole “ugly fruit”) into an innovative, no-added-sugar, low-glycemic fruit spread. The project’s relevance lies in combining regional resource valorisation with nutritional strategies to support the management of obesity and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus. Strategic external partners play a key role: RochaCenter (Center of Post-Harvest and Technology), a collaborative consortium of companies, bridges local producers to facilitate fruit residue access and regional dissemination, while Plásticos Futura (NERLEI Member) brings its expertise in the development of innovative plastic solutions, combining technical know-how, industrial capacity, and a strong orientation toward innovation to lead the conceptual design of a functional packaging solution. By integrating mathematical optimisation and artificial intelligence tools, biological activity assays, and neuro-sensory profiling via electroencephalography, the project aims to transform fruit residues into a health-oriented dietary solution that promotes disease prevention and strengthens the local circular economy.

Keywords: bioactivity profile, Circular economy, food technology, low-glycemic fruit spread, neuro-sensory analysis

Principal Investigator: Marisa da Costa Gaspar  (marisa.gaspar@ulo.pt)

Research Team:

Duration: 18 months (2026 – 2028)

Institutional Partners and Others

  • Rocha Center (Center of Post-Harvest and Technology)
  • Plásticos Futura

Reference: SeedCare-ICT-2026

Funding: Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (UI/05704/2025)