Project Summary

Abstract

Industry 4.0 includes automation and data exchange in manufacturing technologies and includes cyber‐physical system, Internet of things (IoT), advanced connectivity and cloud‐computing to transform production units into "smart factories".

The aim of the DEEP project is to use discarded leaves from the processing of beets (Beta vulgaris L.) and the production of faba beans (Vicia faba L.), and to conduct a green extraction of the protein RuBisCO (Ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase) from the leaves. For the extraction of proteins and bioactive compounds from the leaves, nonthermal techniques, like high-power ultrasound – US and pulsed electric fields – PEF will be used.

The idea is to use digitization in nonthermal processing (US and PEF), with the use of sensors (for temperature, humidity, conductivity, energy consumption, pressure, etc. through a smart IoT system). Therefore, a system of nonthermal Internet of Things (IoT) processing (NT-IoT-P) will be developed for monitoring and optimizing the protein extraction process.

Green extraction has many advantages such as increasing the yield of proteins, bioactive components, using green solvents (water) instead of organic solvents, running a shorter process at room temperature, etc. The focus is on reduction, recycling and reuse, towards processing without waste (zero-waste).

RuBisCO is the most abundant protein found on earth (it contains up to 50% of the total soluble proteins found in leaf tissue). RuBisCO is the enzyme responsible for fixing carbon derived from atmospheric CO₂ as part of the Calvin-Benson cycle.

The goal is to extract RuBisCO and "package" the extract, using electrospinning and electrospraying procedures (to obtain nanofibers) and compare it with encapsulation, the usual delivery process of extracted bioactive compounds. The ultimate goal is the possibility of using nanofibers and nanoparticles (capsules) as additives in products and packaging.