
The Value-Vol Onion project arose from the wish of the onion processing companies Mol Fresh Food B.V. and Monie Nieuwdorp B.V. to create economic added value from the current residual flow from production.
Residual flow from onion processing is very valuable
The residual flow from onion processing mainly consists of the brown skin and the outer layers of onions. These contain many interesting components such as dyes, antibacterial substances, moisture-absorbing fibers and antioxidants and are used at the top of the biobased pyramid (Meeusen et al. 2008). An example is quercetin, a flavonoid from the outer dry husks, which as an ocher yellow dye has been used for centuries for dyeing wool.
A lot of research has been done on the use of quercetin and other flavonoids from onions in foods because of the possible positive health effects. Research into non-food applications is limited to textile dyeing. The same goes for the fibers in the onion skins. Application research mainly focuses on food applications such as low calorie supplements. Little research has been done into the addition of onion fibers in materials such as paper and cardboard.
Application in paper and cardboard
There are two drivers for research into applications in materials. Firstly, the product properties such as purity and characterization are less strict for non-food applications than for applications in food, making refining of the residual flow easier. Second, there is a great need for biobased additives due to the growing demand for biobased products.
The Waardevol-UI project aims to contribute to the development of knowledge on possible non-food applications. The first concrete goal is the evaluation of the application possibilities in paper and cardboard.

Martijn Zieverink appointed as professor for the Biobased Transitions Research Group at MNEXT

In memoriam: Max Drath

Educate more professionals for the energy transition

Lunch & Learn: Energy Holacracy

The Biobased Innovation Student Challenge – Europe

BIO-CAPPP

Energy(k) Eductation

BIO-CAPPP

GESCHIKT: energy transition on business parks

Rapid Renewable Materials: the next step in sustainable construction.

Mycelium on Board

From orange waste to a green future

Blueprint of fungal genomes

BioGov.net

Water-resistant mycelium composites

Sustainable Particle Board

Circular Emergency Shelters

FACET

Totally Nuts: Circular Biobased Thermosets from Cashew Nutshells

Biodegradation Coatings Stahl

Green Hub: Information hub value chains green residual flows

Acceleration of nature-inclusive area development

Reflow

Biobased Insulation – Lifespan Determination (BILD)

Setting up and performing biodiesel trials in a coaster ship

Mythic

PyroCHEM: Waste2Chem Innovation Cluster

Membrane Technologies

Flestic

Direct extrusion of PHA-rich biomass

Production of bioplastics from residual streams (WoW! Capitalisation)

Powering Agrifood

Smart Circular Bridge

Fungal Colourants

Learning Network Biobuilders

Orange in the Sea

Amino Acids!

Building on Mycelium

Follow-up S4G

Colour Application Centre

Making disposables disposable

Making shipping more sustainable (Russia – Benelux)

Zircular Seaweed food

Extraction of pectins from onion skins

Growing Leather

Learning Community Renewable fuels

PHA accumulation capacity of Sewage Treatment Plant

NACO – Zero Waste Collective Oosterhout

Bio Iso (RAAK MKB)

Design with RRM (rapidly renewable materials)

Resin biodegradation

Biobased gadgets

Biobased foam

Biobased flocculants for water purification

Viberscrete – biobased concrete

Innovation Traineeships

Building light

BioADD

CurCol

Learning community

Professors’ platform Biobased Economy

Porter’s lodge Delfland

Smart Circular Bridge

Biobased, circular Christmas bauble with packaging

Mycelium boards

Coloring Mycelium

Back to the Materials of the Future

National Biobased Database

Structural Health in Biobased Constructions

Beauti-Fully Biobased Fibers

Coffee Silverskin Biomass Utilization

Sustainable solid biofuels

Biobonding: Improved biocomposites

ZCORE (from Seaweed to COating Resin applications)

Cashing cashew

Material research for 3D printing

Seaweed Sterols

Onion deserves more

Circling in construction

Biomass flows in the province of South Holland

Circular Bio-based Construction Industry (CBCI)

Biodegradability of biopolymer and biopolymer composites

BBM+

Opportunities for composting in Brazil

Stadsjutters Breda

Innovation tables

Tomatozyme

MAA’s from algae

Sensor wise Biobased

Pyrolysis Experimental Garden South

Grassification

REFAWOOD

Valuable ONION

Biobased Network

Living Lab Biobased Brazil

Biopolymer Application Center

Borderless Biobased Education

Living Colors

Mycelium

BioCOLOUR

BioCannDo

Blue Chain

WOW!

Green Growth

Biobased Challenge

Biobased bridge

Pure Nature: 100% Biobased

National Biobased Knowledge Network
