Guarda Polytechnic transforms red fruits from Beira Interior into food supplements

Cherries, peaches and blueberries will help combat metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes and other chronic diseases, through a research project that brings together the Instituto Politécnico da Guarda (IPG) and a pharmaceutical company.

The three endogenous red fruits from Beira Interior will be used in the production of innovative natural food supplements, within the scope of 'RedSup4Health', financed with around 1.1 million euros from the ERDF.

With an expected duration of 36 months, the project is led by the pharmaceutical company Natural Green Biological (NGB), in cooperation with the company Cerfundão, and involves researchers and laboratories from the Politécnico da Guarda, the University of Beira Interior (UBI) and the Catholic University of Portugal.

The aim is to take advantage of the preventive properties of the Fundão cherry, the Cova da Beira peach and the Beira Interior blueberry, fruits “rich in bioactive compounds and with recognised antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic and anti-obesity effects”, said the Polytechnic of Guarda.

According to Luís Silva, IPG professor and responsible for the project, 'RedSup4Health' aims to contribute to the prevention and combat of “one of the main global health and well-being problems”.

“Metabolic syndrome is associated with sedentary lifestyles, unbalanced diets and environmental factors, representing significant challenges for global public health.”

The researcher stated that 'RedSup4Health' aims to respond to “the worrying increase in chronic diseases, which affect six out of ten people worldwide, and promote the economic value of local products, with a view to their commercialization and internationalization”.

The food supplements produced will be marketed “in international value chains and included in high added value solutions”, he added.

For Luís Silva, the project represents “a strategic investment in the regional bioeconomy, promoting sustainable development and public health based on natural solutions”.

A feature also highlighted by Joaquim Brigas, president of the Polytechnic of Guarda, for whom this project can place Beira Interior “at the forefront of functional nutrition and the valorization of natural resources”.

“This project represents a model of collaborative innovation between companies, higher education institutions and research centers, with a direct impact on the health of populations and the dynamization of the local economy,” he said.

The promoters believe that 'RedSup4Health' can contribute to the valorization of endogenous products, economic diversification and the settlement of people in the districts of Guarda and Castelo Branco.

“Improving the population's access to high-quality products, boosting the local economy through increased sales and entry into new international markets, as well as promoting sustainability and circularity through the use of by-products and fruits in an advanced stage of ripeness, with no commercial value”, are other goals to be achieved with 'RedSup4Health'.