Sustainable valorization of aromatic plant and flower distillation residues for the production of cold cut products

This practice abstract details the ROSEHAM project, which applies circular economy principles by converting aromatic plant distillation residues into natural extracts for the meat industry. These "green" substances replace chemical additives and nitrites in cold cuts, enhancing nutritional quality and microbiological safety while ensuring stable color and flavor.
Given that producing 1 kg of rose oil requires 4,000 kg of flowers, valorizing these massive by-products is economically essential. Τhe project fosters collaboration between primary production and processing in West Attica, Greece, to reduce the environmental footprint of food production.