From field to drop: the new ESSENTIA project to transform the future of organic essential oils. The contribution of the Institute of Plant Sciences at the Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies
The Agroecology Group of the Institute of Plant Sciences at the Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies is participating in the new project ESSENTIA - Development and implementation of innovative systems for the production and extraction of essential oils in organic farms. The project, funded by the Fund for Research in Organic and Quality Agriculture of the MASAF - Ministry of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Forestry, and coordinated by Prof. Paolo Bàrberi, is being developed in collaboration with the Agroecology Group of the Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies in Pisa, the National Institute of Optics of the CNR and the Department of Chemistry and Industrial Chemistry of the University of Pisa. It represents a decisive step towards the use of medicinal and aromatic plants, various distillation products and their processing residues in various production sectors, which make sustainable innovation their strong point.
The project launch event is scheduled for Monday 27 October at 9.15 a.m. at VersilGreen (Via Don Amedeo Chicca - Massarosa, LU).
Research and experimentation for the medicinal plant supply chain
Following the experience of the INSOLE - Agronomic and technological innovations for the sustainable cultivation of medicinal plants and the production of quality essential oils, developed in Sicily over the past three years, the Operational Group set up for ESSENTIA aims to expand the areas of research to the entire national territory, with the involvement of three companies from northern, central and southern Italy - Agrilife In Trentino, VersilGreen in Tuscany and FlorGuarino in Sicily – in a joint research and experimentation programme for the enhancement of the medicinal plant supply chain, combining innovation, territory and business.
Among the innovations that the project intends to propose to the sector, a prominent role is reserved for technological aspects, with the development of a prototype steam extractor that combines the application of microwaves and ultrasound. The experimentation aims to reduce the energy consumption of the process and improve the quality of the essential oils extracted, but also to enhance the value of distillation waste, consisting of exhausted biomass and aqueous residues, whose valorisation could reduce the production costs of essential oils and thus improve market opportunities.
At the event on 27 October, participants will be able to visit the experimental field of the Tuscan company involved in the project and watch the extraction of essential oils with the new prototype developed by CNR-INO.
The programme includes presentations by teachers and researchers from the Operational Group, illustrating the application prospects of the innovations introduced both in the field and in the laboratory, as well as contributions from partner companies. Guests will include students and teachers from the two local agricultural institutes, ITCG Enrico Fermi in Pontedera and ITTA Busdraghi in Lucca, who will participate in field activities and demonstrations with a view to promoting dialogue between education, research and business, in order to stimulate interest in agroecology and sustainable innovation in agriculture.
The programme
- 9.15 Welcome to participants in the field
- 9.30 Elena Giannini, Azienda Agricola VersilGreen - Welcome and presentation of the company
- 9.40 Paolo Bàrberi, Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna - From Insole to Essentia: medicinal plants and agroecology
- 10.00 am Stefano Carlesi, Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna - Presentation of the other partner companies, AgriLife and FlorGuarino, and their experimental designs
- 10.20 am Carlo Ferrari, Istituto Nazionale di Ottica CNR - Visit to the laboratory, start of distillation and description of the innovative prototype for the extraction of essential oils from biomass using microwaves and ultrasound
- 11:10 a.m. Coffee Break
- 11.30 a.m. Bernardo Melai, Department of Chemistry and Industrial Chemistry, University of Pisa - Observation of extraction results and description of the chemical characteristics of essential oils
- 11.45 a.m. Celia Duce, Department of Chemistry and Industrial Chemistry, University of Pisa - Solid extraction residues: from processing waste to the prospect of biomaterials
- 12:00 p.m. Federico Leoni, Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna - Aqueous residues from rosemary extraction: from waste to potential bioherbicide
- 12:15 p.m. Irene Balducci, Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna - Essential oils: uses and opportunities in cosmetics, aromatherapy and agri-food
- 12:30 p.m. Light Lunch - Welcome to participants
The event is free and open to farmers, researchers, technicians, students and enthusiasts of medicinal plants, both in person and online. Please register at the link https://forms.gle/XWqas1HmT5FzPdAJA
