Project: Nanomaterials for an environmentally friendly and sustainable handling of perishable products

Acronym	Nano4Fresh (Reference Number: 2019-SECTION2-21)
Project Topic	Most part of fresh products in UE is produced in the Mediterranean countries. This project addresses a critical point in the agro-food chain: the storability and transportation conditions of climacteric products, where postharvest ripening occurs evolving gases, mainly ethylene (and others Volatile Organic Compounds – VOCs) that work as natural ripening hormones leading to quality poor and losses by a faster and non-controlled aging. The control of the atmosphere surrounding these sensitive products is one of the main challenges in handling of perishable products for maximizing their freshness, quality, and shelf life. Researchers involved in this proposal have large experience in the development of different types of nanomaterials for the treatment of VOCs by adsorption or catalytic processes. The main aim of this proposal is the design and start up of devices (filters or catalytic (photo)-reactors) that can be easily integrated in the ventilation/cooling systems of warehouse or vehicles for their atmosphere control. It is expected an improved performance of these devices based on the fitting of textural, chemical, antibacterial and antifungal properties of nanostructured adsorbents and solar light-driven photocatalysts. The complete VOC removal together the control of additional parameters including microbial stability, humidity, oxygen or CO2 level allows a better conservation of perishable products. Nanomaterials and nanocomposites will be prepared under circular economy, i.e., using different agricultural residues as carbon source, which includes lignocellulosic materials (olive, avocado or peach stones, almond shell, etc) and wastewater containing highly pollutant phenols or tannins from the olive oil or wine industries. The combination of recycled nanomaterials with adsorption/photocatalytic processes using solar light (saving energy), will minimize losses of product by excessive ripening, favoring the economy, sustainability and environmental aspects.
Network	PRIMA
Call	Section 2 Call 2019 - Multi-topic

Project partner

Number	Name	Role	Country
1	Instituto Superior Técnico	Coordinator	Portugal
2	Frutus - Estação Fruteira do Montejunto, CRL	Partner	Portugal
3	University of Granada	Partner	Spain
4	University of Camerino	Partner	Italy
5	University of Cadi Ayyad	Partner	Morocco