From September 16–18, 2026, the beautiful coastal city of Rethymno, Greece, served as the backdrop for RETASTE 2026 (the 6th International Conference on Rethinking Food Resources, Losses, and Waste). The OLIWA consortium actively participated in this flagship gathering, bringing together researchers, policy experts, and industry leaders dedicated to food waste reduction, circular economy models, and sustainable resource management across the Mediterranean.
The conference provided a premier platform for the OLIWA team to present progress from the project’s first 18 months, highlighting how scientific innovation can convert olive processing side-streams into valuable bio-based solutions.
Key Milestones: 18 Months of Pioneering Research
During the plenary sessions, the OLIWA project coordinator delivered a comprehensive progress report detailing key technical achievements and active work packages:
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Bioactive Extraction: Successful isolation and characterization of natural, antioxidant-rich extracts from olive processing residues.
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Bioconversion Platform: Optimizing substrate formulations using olive pomace to rear Black Soldier Fly (Hermetia illucens) larvae, establishing an efficient protein- and lipid-rich bioconversion pathway.
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Eco-Friendly Biopackaging: Progress in producing biopolymer films that integrate chitin and olive-derived extracts for enhanced shelf-life and performance.
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Renewable Energy Integration: Ongoing trial runs evaluating combined agro-industrial residues and livestock manure for optimized biogas yield.
Fostering Synergies and Showcasing Academic Excellence
Beyond presenting core results, OLIWA partners actively engaged in cross-project knowledge exchange and research poster sessions:
Cross-Project Collaboration with CIPROMED
Panagiota Soulioti (Laboratory of Entomology, University of Thessaly) delivered a comparative analysis between OLIWA and its sister PRIMA project, CIPROMED. While OLIWA uses insect bioconversion via Black Soldier Fly larvae to process olive waste, CIPROMED leverages microbial and yeast strains across alternative agro-industrial side-streams (including whey, cotton, and dairy residues). The presentation highlighted how complementary biological platforms accelerate progress toward zero-waste agricultural systems.
Biopackaging Research Spotlight
The research group led by Adamantini Paraskevopoulou at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki presented two research posters exploring circular packaging applications:
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“Olive pomace aqueous extracts as ingredients for edible film development”
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“Upcycling Black Soldier Fly Farming By-Products into Bio Fillers for Sustainable Biopackaging Materials”
Driving Results Toward Real-World Application
Participating in RETASTE 2026 reinforced the crucial role of multi-disciplinary collaboration in addressing agricultural waste. By bridging bioconversion, material science, and bioenergy, OLIWA continues to advance practical, scalable solutions for a resilient Mediterranean bioeconomy.
