EUBCE 2026 - Henoc PÉREZ AGUILAR - Integrated Bioindustrial Valorisation of Mussel-Processing By-Products through Dual Enzymatic Hydrolysis: Towards Scalable Production of Bio-Based Protein Hydrolysates

Integrated Bioindustrial Valorisation of Mussel-Processing By-Products through Dual Enzymatic Hydrolysis: Towards Scalable Production of Bio-Based Protein Hydrolysates

Short Introductive summary

This work presents an innovative biotechnological process for the enzymatic valorisation of mussel-processing residues into amino acid–rich hydrolysates with dual functionality as bio-based intermediates for biomaterials and bioactive agricultural products. Using a two-step enzymatic hydrolysis (Alcalase + Pancreatin), the process achieved up to 69% protein recovery and 23% free amino acids, mainly arginine, glutamic acid, and glycine, under mild and sustainable conditions. The resulting hydrolysates showed strong biostimulant activity in plant assays and full compliance with EU Regulation 2019/1009, confirming their suitability for market deployment. Future developments will focus on optimising formulations to enhance their stimulatory effect, followed by controlled field trials on lettuce and cauliflower to assess their agronomic performance and abiotic stress mitigation potential under saline and water-deficit conditions. This research establishes a scalable, circular, and low-impact pathway connecting marine biomass valorisation with bio-based materials and sustainable agriculture, advancing the goals of the European blue bioeconomy.

H. Pérez Aguilar, INESCOP, Alicante, SPAIN
V.M. Serrano Martínez, INESCOP, Alicante, SPAIN
E. Orgilés, INESCOP, Alicante, SPAIN