Launch of the Cross-Border “KOMY” Project

A Novel Approach to Apple Pomace: How can a waste product become a valuable resource of the future?

The project "KOMY" (aKnowledgment of the pOtential of apple poMace upcYcling) develops innovative fermentation processes for the use of apple pomace. At the same time, this research project, as part of a cross-border initiative by South Tyrol, Tyrol and Bavaria, investigates how small and medium-sized regional farms can implement these innovations and thus focus on sustainability and circular thinking economically.

"KOMY" represents a research approach that aims to transform apple pomace into a useful and innovative resource for the food industry. By developing stabilization and fermentation processes, the research team aims to find new ways to reuse apple pomace and recover valuable materials from the biological process. "We want to change the perspective: what is considered waste today can become a targeted ingredient with functional properties and real potential for the food industry," explains Lorenza Conterno, head of the Fermentation and Distillation working group and coordinator of the project at the Laimburg Research Centre.

Scientifically, "KOMY" focuses on upgrading the solid residues from apple juice production through fermentation processes with mixed cultures of bacteria and yeasts – similar to those used in the production of kombucha. Fermentation not only stabilises the apple pomace by protecting it from microbial spoilage, but also enables the formation of a drink or the formation of special metabolic products.

During the fermentation process, a biofilm of symbiotic yeast and bacteria colonies is formed: the so-called SCOBY (Symbiotic Culture Of Bacteria and Yeast). This colony forms a compact, gel-like matrix composed mainly of bacterial cellulose – a material produced by the microorganisms during the transformation of sugars and other plant compounds.

In the "KOMY" project, the SCOBY thus fulfils a dual function: on the one hand, it serves as a biological engine of fermentation, stabilises the product microbiologically and changes its chemical and sensory properties. On the other hand, biocellulose can also be used for other applications in the food industry.

Together with the Weihenstephan-Triesdorf University of Applied Sciences, the MCI is responsible for the characterization of apple pomace with regard to its valuable ingredients and spoilage potential. Furthermore, the MCI is testing the economic usability of the results for scalability to an industrial scale as well as the transferability of the technology to additional applications. The project started in March 2026 and will last three years.