Enhancement of Waste from the Agri-food Chain as Innovative Ingredients for the Formulation of Functional Foods and Their Impact on Chronic Kidney Disease

The largest Italian agri-food chains are represented by the production of extra virgin olive (EVO) oil and wine. Their production leads to a great amount of agri-food wastes that can represent an innovative and sustainable source of secondary raw materials that can be used as ingredients for functional foods. In this study, production chain wastes from EVO oil and wine, such as olive leaves, free oil olive pulp, grape skin, and grape seeds, were selected and characterized for the content of antioxidant compounds by HPLC-DAD-MS analysis. Using innovative technologies, micronized powders have been obtained from waste rich in antioxidant bioactive compounds, used as functional ingredients for the formulation of two bars based on EVO oil, rich in polyphenols, fruits, and vegetables. The bars were analyzed to evaluate their total antioxidant capacity and the antiradical activity. The formulated bars were tested for their functional action in a preliminary in vivo study on renal patients who took bars and performed adapted physical activity. The preliminary results show that the association of adapted physical activity with the consumption of functional bars rich in antioxidant and bioactive compounds leads to an improvement in body composition and other clinical parameters.