52nd International conference of the Slovak Society of Chemical Engineering – SSCHE 2026

From fruit processing waste to sustainable biodiesel feedstock

Researchers from the Faculty of Technology and Metallurgy, University of Belgrade, together with partners from Innovation Hive (Greece) and the Faculty of Agriculture, University of Belgrade, presented new results within the VERDEDRIVE project at the 52nd International Conference of Slovak Society of Chemical Engineering (SSCHE 2026).

The study explored the valorization of sour cherry pits (Oblačinska cultivar, Prunus cerasus L.), an abundant agro-industrial by-product, as a source of oil for sustainable biodiesel production.

The work, presented by Nataša Šekuljica and Zorica Knežević-Jugović compared different extraction approaches and particle size fractions to optimize oil recovery and evaluate the quality of the obtained oils.

🌱 The results demonstrated that particle size significantly affected oil recovery, while the obtained oils exhibited a high content of unsaturated fatty acids, dominated by oleic and linoleic acids.

🌱 The extraction process was successfully described by a first-order kinetic model, indicating diffusion-controlled oil recovery.

🌱 The physicochemical properties of the recovered oils confirmed their potential as promising feedstocks for biodiesel production, supporting the transition towards a circular bioeconomy and sustainable energy systems.

This work highlights how agricultural residues can be transformed into valuable bio-based products, contributing to waste reduction, resource efficiency and renewable energy generation.

Project: VERDEDRIVE – Harnessing by-products for the creation of eco-friendly and sustainable diesel fuel (HORIZON-MSCA-2023-SE-01, GA 101179991).