NutraResearch collaborates in this project by transforming various plant extracts into dietary supplements.
The SUSTAINEXT project, in which NutraResearch is participating, made significant progress this July. Construction has begun on the new Natac manufacturing plant in Hervás (Cáceres), with the aim of transforming the current facilities into an innovative plant for producing botanical extracts.
The goal is to reposition this region of Extremadura, traditionally dedicated to tobacco cultivation, at the forefront of the rapidly growing medicinal plant sector.
NutraResearch is fully committed to this European project, which is driving this emerging industry, where it is already a leading developer of next-generation dietary supplements.
The SUSTAINEXT project brings together 21 companies from across the value chain. It is a strategic alliance focused on cultivating medicinal plants for use in both the nutraceutical industry and the production of biofuels by utilizing surplus biomass.
Nutraceuticals: a viable alternative
98% of tobacco cultivation in Spain takes place in Extremadura, covering a total of 8,664 hectares. Currently, this industry is seeking new alternatives that can provide economic viability to the farmland (traditionally used for tobacco cultivation) and achieve greater social acceptance through new and healthier crops. This is where medicinal and aromatic plants come into play, emerging as a viable and profitable opportunity.
Disruptive model
This circular and disruptive model is based on the DYANA concept, an analytical, dynamic, and intelligent extract factory that seamlessly integrates the entire supply chain, from raw materials to end users, allowing for the cascading valorization of raw materials. Optimized by batch according to the initial composition of the raw materials, it offers maximum value with the dual objective of zero waste and zero emissions.
SUSTAINEXT will be industrially implemented with six European, sustainable, and locally sourced raw materials: three agro-industrial by-products (olive, artichoke/cardoon, and pomegranate) and three Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (MAPs) (chamomile, rosemary, and lemon verbena). The project plans to use these six raw materials to develop 12 valorization routes and obtain 46 healthy extracts and plant-based functional ingredients, 13 of which are entirely new worldwide and 12 being produced in Europe for the first time.
Adding value
NutraResearch collaborates in this project by transforming various plant extracts into dietary supplements. To this end, different plant extracts have been selected, and various dosage forms (tablets, capsules, sachets, and modified-release tablets) have been developed to enhance their bioavailability and solubility.
In this way, NutraResearch helps to add value to the plant extracts that will be manufactured at the new Natac facilities, traditionally used in the dietary supplement industry.
SUSTAINEXT is the first project funded by Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Undertaking (CBE JU), a European consortium formed by the EU and the Bio-based Industries Consortium.
Photovoltaic panels
The production plant to be located in Hervás (Extremadura) will feature a large agrivoltaic energy installation, allowing the same land area to be used for both the cultivation of medicinal plants and the installation of photovoltaic panels.
Natac, a Spanish company and leader in the production of sustainable botanical extracts, responsible for managing the Hervás plant, the epicenter of the project, leads and coordinates the SUSTAINEXT project.