Turning olive leaves into functional ingredients: sustainable waste valorisation

Olive leaves, a major by-product of the olive oil industry, are transformed into high-value functional ingredients like antioxidants, fiber, and polyphenols through sustainable extraction methods. The project develops efficient, eco-friendly techniques—such as fermentation, supercritical CO2, and subcritical water extraction—for industrial-scale production of functional oils and food products. Optimized parameters including temperature, time, and pressure enhance extraction efficiency, reducing waste and creating new revenue streams for producers. This innovation supports a circular, sustainable olive oil value chain.