Description: The experimental proposal concerns the implementation of cold drying technology: a process that preserves most of the enzymes, vitamins, and minerals in food products, with the aim of creating healthy snacks and fruit and vegetable powders without chemical additives, fats, salt, or added sugars.

The “Essicca-TO” project is committed to enhancing the agri-food resources of the Turin area, particularly unsold products at the CAAT (Centro Agro Alimentare Torino – Turin Agri-Food Centre) and/or from local farms, reducing waste through the use of cold drying technology, which helps preserve most of the enzymes, vitamins, and minerals in the products. The goal is to create healthy snacks, fruits, and vegetable powders without chemical additives, fats, salt, or added sugars.

The testing and potential applications of the products will be carried out thanks to the collaboration of Orti Generali SRL, Panacea Social Farm, and Vasté Social Enterprise as testers, and with the support of Oliviero Alotto, trustee of the Slow Food Torino association, ultra-runner, and expert in healthy eating. The products will be marketed on the Mindful Morsel platform, the Circular Market app, in bulk stores, grocery stores, restaurants, and cafés across the City of Turin, promoting a more sustainable diet and raising awareness of environmental impact.

Context: Essicca-TO is one of the winning proposals of the City of Turin Public Notice on the topic of Circular Food. The aim is to find organisations with which to co-develop and test, under real conditions, innovative solutions in the context of the circular economy linked to production, distribution and marketing of food.

This activity is planned in two European projects: FUSILLI, which aims to promote innovative circular business models in the food sector, and SME4GREEN, which supports companies in transitioning to technologically and environmentally-sustainable business models. The current challenge of the circular economy applied to food is to revolutionize the production model starting with proper management of natural capital (that is linked to human, cultural and economic capital), respecting planetary boundaries and offering equitable space within civil society.

Contacts: check mindfulmorsel.com or write to info@mindfulmorsel.com