Udine, 20–21 November 2024
When different projects share the same vision – making the world a better place through sustainability and the circular economy – meeting becomes an opportunity to build something greater. With this spirit, the Dairy+ project organized the “Networking Dinner for Circular Thinkers”, a convivial and insightful gathering held on Wednesday, 20 November at the Fondazione Friuli in Udine, bringing together institutional representatives and delegates from four European projects united by a common goal: enhancing resources within a circular economy perspective.
A dinner to create synergies
The event was not just an occasion for networking but a true moment of encounter between open-minded people committed to developing innovative and sustainable initiatives. Alongside the Dairy+ team, representatives of three European projects – all involving the Department of Agricultural, Food, Environmental and Animal Sciences (DI4A) of the University of Udine – participated, each working on different fronts of biomass and agricultural waste valorization.
The convivial atmosphere of the dinner encouraged the exchange of ideas, experiences, and best practices, laying the groundwork for potential future collaborations. When a shared vision exists, synergies arise naturally.
The featured projects
In addition to Dairy+, dedicated to valorizing whey as a valuable resource in the dairy supply chain, the following projects were present:
NETTLE – Cross-border cooperation for the valorization of Alpine plants
Funded by the Interreg VI-A Italy–Austria 2021–2027 programme, NETTLE is developing the first cross-border database on the phytochemical composition, nutritional and functional values of natural extracts obtained from more than 30 Alpine plants. The focus lies on antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and wound-healing properties—valuable bioactive compounds too often underestimated.
iM Pack Project – Biodegradable packaging from the circular economy
An international project involving universities and companies from Algeria, Portugal, France, Italy, Morocco, and Spain. It aims to prove that active ingredients extracted from agricultural by-products can be used to impregnate biodegradable packaging through sustainable techniques. The vision is clear: creating packaging with antioxidant and antimicrobial properties using an innovative technology based on supercritical fluids.
VALOStones – From olive pits to high-value ingredients
Funded by the PRIMA programme (Partnership for Research and Innovation in the Mediterranean Area) of the Italian Ministry of University and Research, VALOStones seeks to valorize olive pits—biomass generated in huge quantities by Mediterranean olive mills—by transforming them into innovative ingredients for the food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic sectors. Through eco-sustainable processes of extraction, characterization and application, the project aims to show that what is considered waste today can become a precious resource tomorrow.
From networking to sharing: the Synergy Event
The energy and connections fostered during the dinner continued the next day, Thursday 21 November, with the Synergy Event: Valorization of biomolecules for food and non-food applications, held at the Auditorium of the New Rizzi Library and organized by the Department of Agricultural, Food, Environmental and Animal Sciences of the University of Udine.
The event served as a more structured platform where the four projects presented their unique contributions, discussed challenges and opportunities, and above all, highlighted the possible synergies among initiatives. A cross-collaborative space designed to inspire future innovation and demonstrate the potential of collective work toward a sustainable circular economy, with a focus on the valorization of biomolecules for food and non-food applications.
A clear message: together we go further
These two days showed that sustainable innovation does not emerge in isolation. When different projects – even if working on distinct materials such as whey, Alpine plants, agricultural by-products, or olive pits – share the same approach based on circular economy, resource valorization, and waste reduction, exchange becomes essential.
The Networking Dinner for Circular Thinkers and the Synergy Event were not merely scheduled activities, but moments of building a scientific and project community that looks to the future with responsibility and creativity.
Because making the world a better place is not only a mission: it is a daily choice, one project at a time, one connection at a time.
