Manufacturing of biofunctional chocolate products by adding, encapsulated in microemulsions, extracts of aromatic and medicinal plants produced by innovative technology

Research Field: Food Science

Content of research:

This project incorporates the use of Deep Eutectic Solvents (DES). DES are promising solvents, which are characterized by several advantages over conventional, volatile solvents of petrochemical origin. DES are designed liquids and their synthesis is facile and straight-forward, requiring food-compatible, inexpensive constituents, such as organic acids and organic acid salts, amino acids, polyols, sugars, etc. Currently, DES are gaining wide acceptance as promising green solvents, due to their features, including the absence of toxicity, biodegradability, and recyclability. Furthermore, DES composition might be tunable, thus making possible regulation of their physicochemical properties and widening the spectrum of applicability for natural product extraction. 

Demand for Collaboration:

The project ends by the end of 2021. However, the research continuous after the end of the project. Therefore, lab personnel (postdoc grade) with expertise in instrumental analysis (HPLC, GC/MS, DSC, FTIR, etc) and in food and plant extract analysis is still needed.

The scientific team is also looking for food industries worldwide for collaboration concerning this research and further application of the acquired knowledge.

Benefits:

The proposed program aims to combine the therapeutic properties of the extracts of aromatic and medicinal plants (produced with an innovative "green" technology - Deep Eutectic Solvents) and the advantages of chocolate microemulsions and chocolate products.