Polish Scientists Develop Anti-Obesity Drink from Grape Waste

An international team of scientists, led by Poland's Pro-Akademia Research and Innovation Centre, is embarking on an ambitious project to combat childhood obesity with a novel healthy drink. The initiative, officially titled "4Sir2 Smoothy: Building a Healthy Drink Ecosystem to Prevent Childhood Obesity," is backed by European Union funding and involves 16 partners from nine countries across various sectors including science, industry, and agriculture.

The core of the project lies in creating an innovative beverage that utilizes trans-resveratrol, a natural polyphenol known for its strong antioxidant properties. This beneficial compound will be extracted from waste materials generated during red grape processing, specifically from partners in Moldova. Previously, this grape pomace was largely discarded, but the project aims to transform it into a valuable ingredient.

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We believe that the implementation of this project will result not only in the creation of an exceptional food product but will also contribute to the creation and implementation of further innovations.

Researchers at the Łukasiewicz Institute of New Chemical Syntheses in Poland are focusing on developing efficient and environmentally friendly methods for extracting trans-resveratrol from the grape waste. They are collaborating with Belgian and German institutions on processing techniques. Italian and Polish universities will then work on developing the actual beverage, while the Mother and Child Health Institute in Poland will conduct studies to assess the drink's effectiveness in reducing body weight and improving health among adolescents and young adults.

Dr. Dorota Kostrzewa, head of the Supercritical Extraction Research Group at Łukasiewicz – INS, expressed confidence that the project will yield not only a unique food product but also spur further innovations. The team aims to maximize the active substances extracted from grape pomace, even exploring uses for the remaining components in the food industry, demonstrating a commitment to sustainability and resourcefulness.

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60 percent of the waste from grape processing is water, and resveratrol is even less than 1 percent of their content. However, we do not want to waste the remaining part. We are already working on methods to use it, among others, for obtaining additional functional ingredients for the food industry.