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Mar 29 2019
The Dehesa, a Source of Innovation: the First Acorn Flour Patent is Granted
Antonio Pérez Moreno, who works in the Ibérico pig industry, has patented almond flour, which has incredible potential in the food sector
Spanish innovation is on full display thanks to a new product developed by veterinarian Antonio Pérez Moreno. This doctor has taken the star product from Spain’s dehesas, its acorns, and patented a method for the industrial production of acorn flour.
Interestingly, this flour has tremendous possibilities when it comes to using it to make bread as well as plant-based drinks. Acorns have an incredibly healthy nutritional profile, and all of the nutrients are preserved when producing the flour. It’s high in carbohydrates and is considered an ideal product for athletes, and it’s also rich in unsaturated fats and essential amino acids. It also contains tannins, and as it’s gluten-free, it’s suitable for people with celiac disease.
According to the doctor, his goal was to find a new and interesting way to use acorns which, until now, were primarily fed to Ibérico pigs. Creating this new product will give rise to a “new productive niche within Extremadura’s unique ecosystem with the subsequent job creation,” according to efeagro.com, while also potentially helping to stop the depopulation of rural areas.
Acorn flour could be used to make everything from sausages to vegan hamburgers, and at the moment it’s used to make artisan bread and pastries, which are proving to be quite popular among consumers.
