Lemon scraps become supplements for cardio-vascular diseases

ROME – An innovative methodology patented by Enea to transform leftovers from lemon processing into supplements and nutraceuticals to be used in the prevention of certain diseases such as obesity, diabetes, hypercholesterolemia and cardio-vascular disorders. The innovation, developed with the Sicilian companies Navhetec srl and Agrumaria Corleone spa, is based on the use of the “membrane separation” technology, developed by the National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Economic Development sustainable, combined with subsequent encapsulation and drying phases using spray-drying or spray drying technology.

The technique allows to obtain from waste and by-products obtained during the lemon processing of nanovesicles, that is spheres rich in bioactive compounds such as nucleic acids, polyphenols, lipids and proteins. The research body reports that some in vivo and in vitro studies carried out by the start-up Navhetec already in 2015 have shown a strong action of reducing the growth of cancer cells, while ongoing studies highlight its anti-inflammatory properties. In 2019, following the experimentation of the patented system on some healthy volunteers, a reduction in some cardiovascular risk factors emerged, such as cholesterol-LDL and waist circumference. The patent is also applicable to other plant matrices.