Overview
LandFood was a pilot project dedicated to valorising acorns as a raw material for the agri-food industry and establishing a sustainable value chain in the Alto Alentejo region.
Coordinated by LandraTech, the project combined business, scientific and technological expertise to develop solutions for acorn collection, processing and commercialisation. It sought to connect forest owners, research organisations and industry, creating the conditions required to produce nutritious, naturally gluten-free food ingredients of Portuguese forest origin.
Context and Identified Problem
Acorns historically played an important role in the diets of Mediterranean populations. However, their use for human consumption declined significantly following the widespread adoption of cereal crops, and their current commercial use remains primarily associated with animal feed. Despite the abundance of acorns in Portuguese forests, a significant proportion of annual production remains unused. The main limitations included the absence of an organised supply chain, limited industrial processing capacity and the high tannin content of certain species, particularly cork oak and other oak acorns.
In Alto Alentejo, these challenges existed alongside forest abandonment, population decline and comparatively low incomes in the primary sector. LandFood addressed these issues by increasing the economic value of acorns and creating new activities associated with their collection, processing and commercialisation.
Objectives
LandFood’s main objective was to establish the technical, economic and commercial foundations for an acorn value chain focused on human consumption.
The project aimed to:
- Create a regional acorn collection and supply network;
- Establish agreements with owners of cork oak, holm oak and other oak woodlands;
- Implement a pilot unit for processing acorns into food-grade flour;
- Adapt and optimise the selection, shelling, tannin-reduction, drying, milling and packaging stages;
- Characterise ingredients obtained from different species;
- Assess the safety and quality of the processed products;
- Study the use of shells and rejected materials as biomass;
- Reduce the energy requirements associated with processing;
- Establish commercial connections between suppliers, processors and the agri-food industry;
- Define a business model and assess the economic and environmental viability of the value chain.
Technological Development and Innovation
LandFood built upon a process developed by LandraTech to reduce the tannin content of acorns, improving their sensory and technological properties and enabling new food applications.
During the project, this knowledge was adapted to a pilot processing unit covering the main stages required to produce acorn flour:
- Raw-material selection and preparation;
- Shelling;
- Tannin reduction;
- Drying;
- Milling;
- Packaging.
The project optimised these processes and characterised the resulting ingredients, including their nutritional properties and suitability for use in food applications. Following a circular-economy approach, the project also studied the valorisation of shells and rejected materials generated during processing. Their potential use as biomass and an energy source was assessed to reduce waste and improve the energy efficiency of the pilot unit.
Impact and Contribution
LandFood contributed to the economic, environmental, social and cultural valorisation of the montado and the Quercus woodlands of Alto Alentejo.
From an economic perspective, the project created conditions for new activities associated with acorn collection, transport, storage, processing and commercialisation. The organisation of supply and development of food ingredients strengthened the potential use of acorns by the agri-food industry. From an environmental perspective, the integrated use of the raw material and the study of processing by-products supported a circular-economy approach, reducing waste and promoting the more efficient use of forest resources.
The project also contributed to increasing the economic value of the montado, encouraging its management and preservation and creating opportunities in low-density territories. Recovering acorns as a food ingredient also helped preserve practices, knowledge and traditions historically associated with the Alentejo region.
Project Information
Programme: Promove Programme 2020 - Innovative Pilot Projects
Application Code: PV20-00050
Project Title: LandFood
Total Investment: €161,291.00
Funding from the “la Caixa” Foundation: €120,968.00
Funding Rate: 75%
Co-funding: €40,323.00
Duration: 36 months
Start Date: 01/04/2021
End Date: 31/03/2024
Coordination: LandraTech
Consortium: VALORIZA - Research Centre for Endogenous Resource Valorisation at the Polytechnic Institute of Portalegre and Polytechnic Institute of Bragança
Status: Completed