Development of bioprocesses for the integral valorisation of argan by-products

Argan press cake (APC) is generated as a by-product during oil extraction from argan seed (kernel). This by-product is rich in proteins (48%), non-cellulosic carbohydrates (18%), fibers (20%), and saponins (4%). It has been traditionally used for livestock feeding in the arid and semiarid regions of Morocco. Currently, there is an increasing interest in developing new products for human nutrition from argan fruit and especially from APC which is considered as low-cost agricultural waste. However, APC has an undesirable aroma described as beany and an undesirable taste described as bitter and astringent. The development of widely acceptable argan new foods is limited due to these characteristics. Saponins are considered as anti-nutritional compounds and are responsible of the bitter taste of argan press-cake. This bitterness limits the potential application of this plant material which is rich in nutriments (proteins, carbohydrates and fibers). The aim of this research work is to develop a debittering process that remove the bitterness without reducing the nutritional value of the material. Solid-state fermentation will be applied to remove APC saponins. The degradation rate of saponins along with the change of the nutritional composition of APC will be monitored. The effect of pH and temperature on the argan saponins-hydrolyzing activity of bacteria will be also investigated.