ARDITI is a non-profit organization that supports research and innovation, promotes scientific and technological training, and contributes to the modernization and development of the Autonomous Region of Madeira (RAM), Portugal. ARDITI’s activities are aligned with Madeira’s economic and social development plan, promoting sustainable economic growth and fostering qualified employment in the region. Having coordinated the Region’s Smart Specialization Strategy (RIS3), ARDITI has helped define the strategy for the development and promotion of Marine Resources and Technologies. ARDITI currently hosts the Madeira branch of MARE – Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, one of the largest R&D units in the country. MARE is a research, technological development, and innovation center, with seven hubs located in mainland Portugal and on the island of Madeira (MARE-Madeira). MARE was recently classified as an Excellent R&D Unit by the Portuguese National Science Foundation (FCT). Researchers at MARE-Madeira carry out their work and projects in various facilities, offering multiple assets for marine-related research, including mesocosms, laboratories, and a wide range of field and lab equipment.
ARDITI in NATUR-EXT: The activities carried out by ARDITI and its contribution to the project aim to identify, study, extract, and valorize bioactive compounds from grape pomace for use in the cosmetics and aquatic animal production industries. The set of activities is detailed below according to the objectives and tasks of the project:
- Optimization studies of the supercritical fluid extraction technique.
- Analytical characterization of the lipid extract and total extract (supercritical fluid extraction) from grape pomace, in terms of individual composition of PUFAs, polyphenols, and carotenoids.
- Determination of the bioactive activity of different extracts.
- Assessment of cytotoxicity.
- Formulation and preparation of moisturizing creams.
- Formulation and preparation of compound feeds for fish, based on nutritional balance and using FEEDNETICS formulation tools and FIT feeding tables.
- Evaluation of enriched product formulations with grape pomace extracts (cosmetic products and compound fish feed).
- In vivo testing.
- Stress testing.
- Evaluation of certain grape pomace compounds as inducers or inhibitors of biofouling organism development in marine fish farms.
- Development and application of ecotoxicology tests using larvae and juveniles of marine invertebrates (produced in our laboratories).
- Studies to evaluate large-scale production capacity.
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