Bee-hive based active principles intensified extraction and smart encapsulation for controlled release: a synergistic bioeconomy and bioengineering approach
PN-IV-P7-7.1-PED-2024-0973 (86PED/2025)
Health has become a very precious asset, not just for the well-being of the individual, but also for human communities. In this regard, there is a new openness to any area that can have a positive impact on the health of the population, especially on the development of nutraceuticals based on bioactive principles of natural origin. The extraction and encapsulation of active compounds from apicultural products represent a key step for their sustainable valorization, ensuring the stability, bioavailability, and efficacy of bioactive compounds in pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and food applications.
Project goal
The goal of the project “Bee-hive based active principles intensified extraction and smart encapsulation for controlled release: a synergistic bioeconomy and bioengineering approach – BeeProdCaps” is the development and validation of an efficient laboratory technology for the extraction and encapsulation of active principles from bee products. The capsules, containing active compounds with a time-controlled release profile, should also have appropriate qualities for human consumption as nutraceuticals.
Contracting authority: Executive Unit for Financing Higher Education, Research, Development and Innovation (UEFISCDI)
Implementation period: 05/05/2025-04/05/2027
Total budget: 797.357 lei
Value from the state budget: 746.162 lei
Co-financing: 51.195 lei
Project director: Dr. Eng. Cristina-Emanuela Enășcuță
Coordinator:
National Institute for Research & Development in Chemistry and Petrochemistry – ICECHIM Bucharest
Project director: Dr. Eng. Cristina-Emanuela Enășcuță
Partner:
ACTIV CPC&I SRL,
Project responsible: Dr. Ing. Manuel Drugulescu
The main objective of the project „Bee-hive based active principles intensified extraction and smart encapsulation for controlled release: a synergistic bioeconomy and bioengineering approach” is to develop an efficient technology, validated at laboratory scale, for effective extraction and encapsulation of bioactive compounds from bee products with targeted release time profile of the formers, according to the pH environment.
Development of an original process for the complex valorisation of bee products using advanced techniques.
Implementation period: 05/05/2025 – 31/12/2025
Activities:
- Experimental laboratory research on the extraction of bioactive compounds and nutrients from the selected bee products, using advanced techniques
- Characterization and selection of target products
- Modelling and optimization of reference extraction process;
- Results and project dissemination.
Development of an integrated process for the separation of bioactive compounds. Development and optimization of encapsulation technology of active compounds using modern (3D printing) and intensified classical (drop on drop by extrusion in ultrasonic field) methods.
Implementation period: 01/01/2026 – 31/12/2026
Activities:
- Experiments at the laboratory scale the separation of bioactive compounds with antioxidant/anti-inflammatory effect
- Development of mathematical models to optimize the separation process to obtain bioactive compounds used as nutraceuticals
- Development of experimental model for obtaining encapsulation of bioactive compounds
- Characterization of obtained capsules and selection of the most suitable technology. In vitro controlled release of bioactive compounds
- Optimization of the encapsulation technology for encapsulation of active compounds at the laboratory scale. Mathematical modelling of the release process;
- Results and project dissemination.
Validation of extraction-encapsulation-controlled release technology at laboratory scale.
Implementation period: 01/01/2027 – 04/05/2027
Activities:
- Validation of extraction-encapsulation-controlled release technology at laboratory scale;
- Results and project dissemination.
- 3 scientific papers submitted for publication in Web of Science/Clarivate journals
- 2 patent applications
- 3 participation to scientific events
- Other communication and dissemination measures
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