Background and Aim: Food wastes valorization toward valuable biomolecules and biomass have
received increasing attention in recent years. Olive oil production is worldwide widespread but generate
a huge amounts olive oil mill residues for which biotechnological management is a challenge issue for
the olive oil producer. Olive mill wastewaters (OMWW) which are characterized by powerful antioxidant
and recalcitrant compounds to biodegradation represent an important environmental problem. Therefore,
finding a suitable biovalorization strategy to exploit these by-products is a great interest.
Methods: The current study focused in OMWW conversion into valuable biomolecules and microbial
biomass, probiotic bacteria and oleaginous yeasts for further lipids recovery. Antimicrobial potential of
OMWW was also investigated. Yeasts and bacterial growth was monitored by plating on agar media.
The antimicrobial properties of polyphenolic extracts from fermented and unfermented OMWW were
assessed.
Results: The results reveals that raw OMWW exert a strong inhibition against yeasts and bacteria while
substrate pretreatment led to cell growth and polyphenol biodegradation by yeasts. Moreover,
polyphenolic extracts provide a wide antimicrobial spectrum against pathogenic and food spoiling
bacteria.
Conclusion: OMWW could be considered as valuable substrate for microbial biomass production and
bioactive compounds recovery