EQS-News

Beverages made from vine leaves: Sustainable drinking pleasure based on agricultural side streams

EQS-News: BRAIN Biotech AG / Key word(s): Alliance/Sustainability Beverages made from vine leaves: Sustainable drinking pleasure based on agricultural side streams 14.03.2024 / 09:00 CET/CEST The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. Beverages made from vine leaves: Sustainable drinking pleasure based on agricultural side streams

• BRAIN Biotech, Tropical Viticulture Consultants, Zukunftsweine and Provadis Hochschule jointly develop sustainable, non-alcoholic beverages from agricultural side streams
• Consortium reaps benefits of new grape varieties adapted to climate change
• Life cycle analysis and technical-economic analysis accompany different process variants

Zwingenberg, Mainz, Frankfurt, Friedrichsdorf (Germany), 14 March 2024 – At the beginning of the year, a multidisciplinary German consortium of biotechnologists, oenologists, winemakers and sustainability experts started work on an innovation project funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF): The "SusBev" (for "Sustainable Beverages") project is a sub-project of the “Bioeconomy Innovation Space in Metropolitan Regions” (BioBall) - and thus one of four initiatives in the focus of the BMBF's National Research Strategy Bioeconomy 2030.

The aim of the “SusBev” project is to use and ferment agricultural residues and side streams from viticulture and other regional agricultural processes to produce healthy and tasty beverages and food.

Harnessing flavors from vine leaves

In their first project, the researchers are working with wine experts to use the leaves of new grape varieties adapted to climate change to make wine-like drinks. The vine leaves and shoots of these varieties, which have not yet been used as a raw material, are suitable because they have an attractive, varietal flavor (like the berries from which wine is made). In addition, their resistance to fungal attack means that the plants require less pesticide treatment, making them safe for consumption.