Cardio-Berry a Novel functional product.

Cardiovascular disease is one of the most prevalent diseases on Colombian people, occupying the first positions of mortality. In that way is important founding novel sources of natural compounds to help to prevent it. Our solution is a food powder called “Cardio-Berry”, it is based on the concentration of anthocyanins through dehydration techniques of Mortiño fruit. Its fruit has a high quantity of anthocyanin compounds which has been associated with promoting health benefits. The Cardio-Berry has been fully characterized, both physically and nutritionally properties, evaluating its antioxidant potential and its contribution to the diet. In the same way, Cardio-Berry was evaluated in people through a clinical study which yielded satisfactory results in terms of the beneficial effect of the product on patients with heart disease. The clinical study showed that the Cardio-Berry has a special effect on oxidative stress; increasing the level of high-density lipoprotein, and antioxidant defense on plasma.

Nowadays, the accelerated lifestyle, the eating habits of the population and the environmental conditions provide sufficient evidence of the increase in free radicals in the body and its excessive imbalance causing oxidative stress that later translates into neurodegenerative diseases such as disease cardiovascular, cerebrovascular disease, rheumatic heart disease, diabetes, Alzheimer, among others. In that sense, Cardiovascular disease (CVDs) is one of the most prevalent diseases around the world. According to the World Health Organization, CVDs are the number 1 cause of death globally, taking an estimated 17.9 million lives each year; 85% of deaths are due to heart attacks and strokes, and 75% of CVDs death occur in low- and middle-income countries. In the United States, one person dies every 37 seconds by CVDs. In Colombia, CVDs occupying the first positions of mortality, where approx. 23.5% of dies are generated by it, mainly due to ischemic heart disease; in the same way, closely of 200.000 people suffer some kind of cardiovascular disease. The risk factors for CVDs include tobacco use, unhealthy diet, alcohol and inadequate physical activity, high blood pressure (hypertension), high blood cholesterol, and high blood sugar or glucose, overweight, and obesity.

“Cardio-Berry” is a nutraceutical food, based on the concentration of anthocyanins through dehydration techniques of Mortiño fruit (Vaccinium Meridional Sw). This variety, in particular, has high antioxidant content compared to Vaccinium from other latitudes. Cardio-Berry is different from other berry products, as it is based on native Colombian species, which has not been widely domesticated, making it an underutilized and poorly understood fruit. Cardio-Berry product has been produced under controlled conditions. Currently, we can produce 100 Kg per day in pilot-scale drying equipment. The product is packaged in 3 g presentation sachets, where each sachet provides 10 mg of anthocyanins, vitamin B3, B6, magnesium, and potassium. The Cardio-Berry has been fully characterized to comply with international regulations; as well as, its antioxidant potential and its contribution to the diet based on in vitro and in vivo tests. In addition to the above, Cardio-Berry has scientific evidence of its functionality. It was evaluated in people through a clinical trial. Satisfactory results in terms of the beneficial effect on patients with heart disease were reached. The clinical trial showed that the Cardio-Berry has a special effect on oxidative stress because increasing the level of HDL cholesterol, and antioxidant defense on plasma.

Colombian society has suffered for many years an armed conflict that has left thousands of people dead and displaced, mainly civilians. This has generated a wave of poverty in many of the country's regions, due to the lack of economic and educational opportunities. Thus, after the signing of peace by the previous government, a new era of opportunities opened in the country; however, poverty and lack of education have remained. The industrial use of Mortiño will allow generating sustainable processes, changing the lives of people in regions of the country where violence and illicit crops were daily living. the solution allows to diversify crops in a region of the department of Antioquia with an ecosystem model food based on the preservation of the territory and respect for the environment, having a direct impact on a region with deep social problems such as violence and poor, allowing to have new economic sources for rural families; contributing to conserving the peace. Likewise, and not least, the development of the Cardio-Berry will improve the living conditions of people with heart problems, reducing the probability of suffering complications derived from their pathological condition caused by oxidative stress such as cardiovascular, and cerebrovascular disease.

Improve the food chain, in order to produce low-carbon, resilient and nutritious food. For this challenge is necessary looking for new natural food sources, that preserving soil, water and, seeds; and that diversify economic sources of rural people. The production of cardio-berry will allow diversifying the crops of a Colombian region, that historically have been impacted by violence, poverty, and illicit crops. These will allow bringing to rural family’s new opportunities in access to inputs, capital, and knowledge to improve yields. Likewise, it will allow producing functional foods to prevent cardiovascular disease, promoting the shift towards diverse, and nutritious diets.

Cardio-Berry is different and innovative from other berry products, as it is based on a native Colombian species such as Mortiño is. The Mortiño is a berry fruit, that has not been widely domesticated, making it an underutilized and poorly understood product; but, with high the potential to bring health benefits, and diversify crops and economic sources for Colombian rural people. Our solution is innovative since the Cardio-Berry has complete scientific evidence of its functionality and behavior in patients, based on in vitro and in vivo tests; which were carried out by an expert team on antioxidant science, food science, Nutritionals and medicine doctors. Theses scientific knowledge brings to Cardio-Berry an added value, due to the capacity to increase the antioxidant defense and decrease plasma oxidative stress was confirmed in supplemented patients with and without cardiovascular disease. All of this knowledge allows to Cardio-Berry to be unique, technically mature, and commercially viable.

One of the alternatives for the processing and stabilization of agro-industrial products is the Thin-Layer Drying, which aims to reduce the water present in the material. The drying process is one of the oldest and a very important unit operation that involves the application of heat (hot air) to a material food which results in the transfer of moisture and or the volatile constituents within the material to its surface and then remove it from the material to the atmosphere; drying process allows to reduce the water activity (Aw) of food material. Low water activity results in food preservation, increase shelf-life and improves product quality. Likewise, the drying process allows the reduction in the bulk and weight of products reducing its handling, packaging, storing, and transportation costs. Convective drying has been used as a method of processing agroindustry products such as avocado, fresh lime, mango (shell and seeds), passion fruit and among other; in the same way, different sectors apply frequently this process such as manufacturing, paper, polymer, chemical, and pharmaceutical industries. Convective drying was used to produce the cardio-berry product, this technique was selected because allowed to conserve anthocyanins compounds and its antioxidant activity. The process was optimized in order to found the best operational conditions that allow having a high-quality product, with high antioxidant potential and concentration of anthocyanins compounds.

Convective drying has been used as a method of processing food materials, mainly fruits and vegetables. On the other hand, different sectors apply frequently this process such as manufacturing, chemical, and pharmaceutical industries. In order to give evidence about the functionality and use of this technology, here are some examples (just to mention few).

Duarte, Y., Chaux, A., Lopez, N., Largo, E., Ramírez, C., Nuñez, H., … Vega, O. (2017). Effects of Blanching and Hot Air Drying Conditions on the Physicochemical and Technological Properties of Yellow Passion Fruit (Passiflora edulis Var. Flavicarpa) by-Products. Journal of Food Process Engineering, 40(3), 0–9. https://doi.org/10.1111/jfpe.1...

Guiné, R. P. F., Pinho, S., & Barroca, M. J. (2011). Study of the convective drying of pumpkin (Cucurbita maxima). Food and Bioproducts Processing, 89(4), 422–428. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fbp....

Osorio‑Arias, J., Delgado‑Arias, S., Cano, L., Zapata, S., Quintero, M., Nuñez, H., … Vega‑Castro, O. (2019). Sustainable Management and Valorization of Spent Coffee Grounds Through the Optimization of Thin Layer Hot Air ‑ Drying Process. Waste and Biomass Valorization. https://doi.org/https://doi.or...

Rojas, M. L., & Augusto, P. E. D. (2018). Microstructure elements affect the mass transfer in foods: The case of convective drying and rehydration of pumpkin. Lwt, 93(March), 102–108. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lwt....

Saavedra, J., Córdova, A., Navarro, R., Díaz-Calderón, P., Fuentealba, C., Astudillo-Castro, C., … Galvez, L. (2017). Industrial avocado waste: Functional compounds preservation by convective drying process. Journal of Food Engineering, 198, 81–90. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfoo...

We expect that Cardio-Berry has a high impact on the problem (cardiovascular disease- CVDs) since we have scientific evidence of its functionality. According to data that was presented before, CVDs have a high prevalence and incidence over Colombian people's health, where closely of 200.000 people suffer some kind of cardiovascular disease. It is clear that Colombia is a country with deep health problems in its health care system, where 200.000 people with CVDs should be treated, with medicaments, doctor's dates, clinical procedures, etc…; High cost of each treatment makes that not all the patients can be cover by the health care system and as a result high indices of mortality. In that sense, Cardio-berry could help to prevent CVDs, since the scientific evidence show really satisfactory results were obtained since cardio-berry allows to increase the level of HDL cholesterol, and antioxidant defense on plasma. A medical prescription with Cardio-Berry as natural and functional food will allow reaching patients with some CVDs and patients at risk to suffer it. On the other hand, Cardio-berry solution can improve the lives of rural families that for decades have been living in conditions of poverty and violence, due to Colombia's long armed conflict. After the peace was signed by the last government, news opportunities had been open, but this is a long process, and many people still living in the conflict areas without opportunities to have new economic sources. Our solution could help in changing the economic source of the people of 23 towns in eastern Antioquia, places where mortiño crops can grow.

First-year: 15000

Second-year: 16500

Third-year: 19500

Fourth and fifth -year: 30000

AOXLAB S.A.S. It is projected as an agile, efficient, flexible laboratory that ensures human development and the commitment of its collaborators with the objectives and values, generating changes to improve products, processes or services with innovation as a strategy to safely control and execute the implementation. in the market for profit. According to the above, the main goal of AOXLAB for the next years is to become the first laboratory with the seal of the “Gold Standard” Laboratory of Colombia. A unique laboratory with a full range of services from crops- full spectrum studies to clinical studies. Likewise, the Company has already established itself as the top laboratory in Colombia servicing the Cannabis sector and is in the process of obtaining international certification which should put in on par with other international laboratories focusing on the industry and thus able to provide services to a wider array of clients outside of Colombia. Finally, AOXLAB is looking for being the first cannabis genetics laboratory in Latin America (plant sequencing is the differential tool for any company that is growing, transforming medical cannabis the availability of this offering in Colombia will change the dynamics of the industry in the country).

One of the main barriers that we found is the acquisition of technological equipment. It is clear that the technological devises and equipment are expensive, and are produced mainly in the USA, Europe and China, in that sense Colombian companies must import it. Colombia does not have good money to change respect to Dollar or Euro, for that reason, it is really difficult to us take the cost of acquired this kind of device, reducing the capacity of improving a process, methods, services, among others in a short time. On the other hand, the financial barrier was found as well. This barrier is based on the high cost to develop functional foods with scientific evidence that support its health benefits. This kind of project must include the characterization, formulate, and develop products and its evaluation in a clinical trial in order to determine the real behavior of it in patients with a special disease; all of these steps have associated high monetary cost.

AOXLAB has overcome different types of barriers (technological and economic) since its creation, through research and development projects funded by the national government and private companies. In that sense, AOXLAB is in constant search of call for proposals (national and international), that will allow to fund new research projects, improve our infrastructure, lunch new services, create spin-offs, and collaborate with international partners, in order to improve the food chain, to produce low-carbon, resilient and nutritious food.

AOXLAB developed the “Cardio-Berry” product. AOXLAB is a specialized services laboratory, it was founded in 2012 by three sisters in Medellin, Colombia. Its original portfolio of services was focused on the food, cosmetic, medical cannabis, and related sectors in Colombia, with a special focus on antioxidant science, oxidative stress, and bioanalysis of synthetic and natural compounds. Since 2018, AOXLAB has serviced clients in countries such as the US, Canada, Mexico, and Ecuador. It has been recognized as a highly innovative company. Finally, AOXLAB has collaborated closely with the main universities in Colombia for research and development projects.

When “Cardio-Berry” was developed by AOXLAB teamwork, 8 people were working on it; all of them with different knowledge, and expertise in different fields such as microbiology, chemistry, food science, industrial engineering, medicine, and nutrition. Currently, AOXLAB has had a growth in terms of infrastructure, analytical devices, scientific research, and professional personal, approx. 18 people are working in AOXLAB right now.

AOXLAB has been characterized as being a highly innovative company. Since its creation, AOXLAB has overcome different types of challenges, such as technological and economic trials, through research and development projects funded by the national government and private companies; with a special interest in research in food science, antioxidant science, oxidative stress, and development of functional foods. All this experience had allowed AOXLAB to advise more than 500 of the most important companies in the Colombian food industry, many of them with an international market, as well as important universities; making AOXLAB grow financially, structurally and technologically.

AOXLAB currently has two groups of partners for research, development and innovation projects, based in different fields of knowledge such as food science, pharmaceutical compounds, medical cannabis, and clinical trials.

·      EAFIT University, University of Antioquia, and University Nacional of Colombia.

·      Cluster Medellín Health City.

·      Cardiovascular Clinic, research department.

In a world that still continues to put men over women, the work of women in the field of science and economy will always be disruptive and motivating. This is how since my beginnings in the university I have always wanted to excel in the world of science, where women have been generating their space through effort and dedication. This is how AOXLAB was created, with the vision of a scientific woman who wanted to contribute to the environment of Colombian science. It has been years of learning in which I have invested the best years of my life, but when I am looking at the results obtained and the proposed projects, I can say that all the effort and dedication used have been worthwhile. Personally, I see in SOLVE as a valuable opportunity that will help me diversify and start new business models, which will be economically sustainable, designed to meet the needs of current and future generations, environmentally and socially responsible. Finally, SOLVE will allow overcoming the technological and economic barriers, due AOXLAB could show its work, potential, scientific knowledge, team, capacities to the world; this is pretty important since more people will be interested in our project, to participate, to fund, and to be a partner; and this will impact positively the people´s lives since will allow for generating new employment for rural and city people, bring new opportunities to maintain the health in cardiovascular patients.

According to the technological and economic barriers that we planted before, AOXLAB is looking for partners or support to help us overcome these barriers faster. In that sense, we propose to collaborate in the building of a company based in natural and functional foods from exotic fruits of the Andina region, with high-quality standards, scientific knowledge, and evidence of its functionality. These aspects will allow us to have an added value in all the products, being disruptive, different, highly commercially, and available. Finally, the collaboration will allow us to have an important social effect, since most tropical fruits that can be approach, grow in rural areas with a high index of poor and violence.