Innovation to recover olive oil waste

Tunisian Innovation to Valorize Olive Oil Waste

Tunisia, aware of the environmental challenge posed by the by-products of its vast olive oil sector, is firmly committed to research and innovation to transform a traditional activity into a driver of sustainable and competitive development. This nation, a world leader in the export of organic olive oil, has identified the valorization of olive oil production waste as a key strategy.

The Euro-Mediterranean OLIWA Project

A central element of this effort is Tunisia’s participation in the Euro-Mediterranean OLIWA project, funded by the European Union. This pan-European program’s primary goal is to convert the voluminous waste from olive oil production into high value-added products.

Coordinated by the University of Turin, OLIWA brings together six Mediterranean countries (Italy, Spain, Greece, Turkey, Algeria, and Tunisia) and a total of 25 institutional and technological partners, demonstrating a regional commitment to the circular economy. The aim is to transcend the current agricultural model, which generates large amounts of waste, towards a system where olive oil (margins) and other olive byproducts, historically viewed as polluting and difficult to manage, are reused in creative and innovative ways.

Innovative applications for waste

The OLIWA project opens up a range of possibilities for the reuse of this waste, bringing it to various sectors:

• Animal Feed and Aquaculture: Olive waste is expected to be used as a substrate for insect breeding, which would in turn be transformed into flour for animal feed. This not only provides a sustainable source of protein but also reduces dependence on other resources.
• Food Additives: One of the high-value pathways is the extraction of natural components present in the waste. These components can be used as additives in the food industry, taking advantage of their beneficial properties.
• Sustainable Materials: The project also includes the manufacture of durable packaging materials from this waste, a line of research in which the Spanish technology center AIMPLAS, specializing in polymers, is actively participating.
• Energy and Biogas: The project seeks to produce biogas by combining agricultural waste, including olive waste. This is a way to generate renewable energy from what was previously a management problem.

Strategic Impact for Tunisia

For Tunisia, a country with a strong olive-growing identity, the OLIWA project and its innovative approaches are of strategic importance. They directly address the environmental challenges generated by the industry and simultaneously open up new economic prospects in the field of green and innovative sectors.

The regional goal, supported by partners such as AIMPLAS, is ambitious: reduce food waste by 25% and strengthen sustainable value chains throughout the Mediterranean basin. By investing in these technologies, Tunisia is not only solving a pollution problem but also reaffirming its commitment to transforming its traditional olive oil industry into a powerful economic engine, competitive and aligned with the principles of sustainability. This approach places the country at the forefront of agricultural waste recovery.