Europe is the world largest producer of wine and grapes (60%) and forms an important sector for the European Economy. When producing wine, grape-must is a bi-product that is currently not used to its full potential. It contains active compounds that can be used to formulate pharmaceutical, food and cosmetic products. These compounds contain elements that are very beneficial for people’s health and wellbeing.
The WineSense project aims to improve the isolation of the main active compounds present in grapes (polyphenols) and to develop suitable formulations for pharmaceutical, food, and cosmetics applications. The project will focus on Solvent Free Microwave Extraction (SMFE), Microwave Assisted Extraction (MAE), and emulsion-templating techniques combining high pressure and anti-solvent effects. The project will also investigate the potential to prepare these products on a commercial scale. Polyphenols can be incorporated in cosmetics, food or pharmaceutical products, and form an interesting market opportunity for wine producers.
