Research project Horseradish and Angelica: Natural Flavor Innovators for the Food Industry
General introduction
The SAPIROOT research project aims to develop improved cultivation techniques for the prospective new Flemish horticultural crops horseradish and angelica. The focus is on the relationship between the (best possible) cultivation techniques and the final quality of, among other things, the essential oil content (horseradish and angelica) and the peroxidase content (horseradish).
SAPIROOT is a follow-up project to AROMA-ROOTS, in which these crops were found to be promising for initial cultivation. In their project approach, the researchers aim to offer farmers an additional crop (robust and profitable) through optimized cultivation of wild ginger and angelica, and at the same time to increase market demand through broader applicability of wild ginger and angelica in the food industry.
Research approach
Seed treatment techniques ensure the emergence of giant angelica, allowing for more efficient direct seeding and reducing weed pressure. For lovage, the potential of annual cultivation and its impact on weed control, yield, harvestability, oil content, storage, and profitability are being assessed. At the same time, new applications for horseradish are being explored, both within and outside the food sector. Outside the food sector, the potential of horseradish peroxidase and horseradish by-products as nematicides is being investigated.
Relevance/Valorization
In the long term, projects such as SAPIROOT anticipate that these crops will be reintroduced on a larger scale, leading to greater biodiversity and a more resilient agricultural system. That is why, from the very beginning, attention has been paid to the potential economic value of root crops after harvest: scenario analyses have been conducted for post-harvest processing; innovative revenue models for farmers are being explored; and the potential of the by-products of horseradish is being investigated.
Financing
VLAIO - Agentschap Innoveren & Ondernemen