EIP-AGRI Focus Group

Plant-based medicinal and

cosmetic products
DISCUSSION PAPER

Dr. Dimitrios Argyropoulos

University of Hohenheim, Research Center for Bioeconomy
Wollgrasweg 43, 70599 Stuttgart, Germany

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 PLANT-BASED MEDICINAL AND COSMETIC PRODUCTS 15.05.2019

Table of contents
1. Introduction .................................................................................................................................. 3
EIP-AGRI Focus Groups ..................................................................................................................... 3
Scope of the Focus Group .................................................................................................................. 3
2. Context......................................................................................................................................... 4
Market of plant-based extracts ........................................................................................................... 4
Medicinal plant production ................................................................................................................. 5
3. State of the art .............................................................................................................................. 6
Medicinal and aromatic plant value chain ............................................................................................. 6
Medicinal plant raw material ............................................................................................................ 7
On-farm drying process .................................................................................................................. 7
Infrastructure and logistics.............................................................................................................. 8
Extraction of active ingredients ........................................................................................................ 9
Quality criteria of herbal drugs ........................................................................................................ 9
4. Funded research projects .............................................................................................................. 11
5. Ecosystem building ...................................................................................................................... 13
Annex A. Members of the Focus Group ................................................................................................. 14

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 PLANT-BASED MEDICINAL AND COSMETIC PRODUCTS 15.05.2019

1. Introduction
EIP-AGRI Focus Groups
EIP-AGRI Focus Groups (FG) collect and summarise knowledge on best practices in a specific field, listing
problems as well as opportunities by taking stock of the state of play in research and practice and highlight
possible solutions to the problems identified. Based on this, the Focus Groups suggest and prioritise innovative
actions. They identify ideas for applied research and for testing solutions in the field, involving farmers,
forestry stakeholders, advisers, the industry and other stakeholders, and propose ways to disseminate good
practices. Focus Group results provide new and useful ideas to solve practical problems and start new
Operational Groups or research projects.

The purpose of this starting paper for the Focus Group on Plant-based medicinal and cosmetic products
is to establish a common understanding about the scope of the Focus Group and its objectives, and also
identify key questions for discussion within the Focus Group.

Scope of the Focus Group

Many products such as essential oils, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics contain or are based on extracts from
plants. Plant material for medicinal and cosmetic products can come from horticulture or wild harvesting.
According to work by the Erasmus+ project Good Herbs (http://good-herbs.eu/) about 90% of species are
harvested from wild flora and only 10% are cultivated commercially. There are also indications that the
markets for natural and organic cosmetics in Europe are developing fast, increasing the demand for plants
used for cosmetic purposes. The need for plant materials used for cosmetic and medicinal purposes, combined
with the need to protect plant biodiversity, create an opportunity for farmers and foresters to diversify their
production and improve their income. However, the competitiveness and sustainability of the value chains
working with newly cultivated or wild managed plants used for medicinal and cosmetic products is often under
pressure due to various issues. These may include lack of availability of information and technical support,
weak links between the economic actors in the value chain and distrust regarding collaborative approaches,
especially in marketing/commercialisation.

How to create diversification opportunities for farmers through innovative value chains of plant-
based medicinal and cosmetic products?

The experts of the Focus Group will carry out the following main tasks:
 Collect data, studies and existing knowledge regarding the demand for plants for medicinal and
cosmetic use;
 Identify existing value chains of plant-based medicinal and cosmetic products where farmers play
a substantial role. The identified value chains should take into account different climatic conditions,
agro-ecosystems and forms of cooperation along the value chain;
 Identify the main actors and drivers of the value chains of plant-based medicinal and cosmetic
products considering knowledge, skills, technical, legal, economic and organisational requirements;
 Assess the economic viability and environmental performance of the identified value chains,
notably with regard to the diversification of farmers’ and foresters’ income and the environmental
performance of the holding and of the whole value chain;
 Suggest innovative business models to foster integrated links between
production/agribusiness/applied research;
 Identify further research needs from practice and possible gaps in technical knowledge;
 Suggest innovative solutions and provide ideas for EIP-AGRI Operational Groups and other
innovative projects.

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2. Context
Market of plant-based extracts
There is an expanding interest worldwide in medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs) due to their use as raw
materials in the production of medicinal and cosmetic products. Furthermore, consumers are becoming more
health-conscious paying attention to sustainably produced natural ingredients of known origin. This, in turn,
has driven a rising demand for plant-based extracts from pharmaceutical, food & beverage, cosmetic and
agrochemical industries.

The global market for botanicals continues to grow and valued $108 billion in 2015 with a share of 48%
herbal medicines, 17% cosmetics and 35% supplements & functional food1. Germany plays a
dominant role in the European market (27%), followed by France (22%) and Italy (11%).

Phytopharmaceuticals are herbal medicinal products with pure active substances that derive from plants or
parts of plants. There are different European Directives and Regulations according to the type of products
such as medicinal products for human use (2001/83/EC), traditional herbal medicinal products (2004/24/EC),
medical devices made of substances (Regulation EU 2017/745) and food supplements (2002/46/EC).

According to statistics from the European Cosmetics Association2, around €77 billion is spent on cosmetics in
the EU member countries, making Europe the largest cosmetics market in the world. Germany is the leader in
the production of natural cosmetics with a value exceeding €1 billion in 2014, followed by France (€410 million
in 2013) and the UK. Also, in Austria and Switzerland a continuously increasing number of consumers tend to
prefer natural cosmetic products3.

Apart from the traditional market segments, the rapidly growing market of supplement and functional food in
Europe poses significant opportunities for all actors in the value chain i.e., farmers, local collectors, resource
managers, processors and distributors.

Furthermore, a promising sector in the agrochemical market is the use of plant extracts as organic plant
protection products. Indeed, alternatives to synthetic pesticides have a great potential for further development
due to the increasing consumer demand for organic products and the limited agricultural area covered by
organic farming in Europe.

In addition, requirements for sustainability in wild-harvesting and cultivation of medicinal plants from
consumer and regulatory side are increasing. All actors in the value chain are required to address consumers’
expectations (e.g., raw material sourcing, product innovation, traceability, quality and safety) while also
considering sustainability in different contexts (e.g., environmental, social, economic) and a direct competition
with synthetic-chemically produced molecules.

Plant-derived extracts formed the basis of traditional medicine systems in nearly all cultures. Europe has a
long tradition in wild-collection of plant resources and cultivation of medicinal and aromatic plants. Ensuring a
secure and sustainable supply of plant raw materials is extremely important for both end-use industries and
consumers.

1
https://dechema.de/dechema_media/Downloads/Positionspapiere/Position+Paper+Phytoextracts+2017-p-20002740.pdf
2
https://www.cosmeticseurope.eu/
3
https://ec.europa.eu/growth/content/study-european-cosmetics-industry-2007-0_en

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 PLANT-BASED MEDICINAL AND COSMETIC PRODUCTS 15.05.2019

Sustainable collection is considered as the most important conservation strategy for wild plant species, given
their positive impacts to local economies and their higher value to local collectors4. To this point, the Nagoya
Protocol of the Convention on Biological Diversity5 creates greater legal certainty and transparency for
both providers and users of genetic resources.

An enhanced production and steady supply of plant raw materials in Europe can be guaranteed under
controlled conditions by field or green house cultivation of MAPs, which in some cases may contribute to
conservation of threatened medicinal plant species.

Although domestication of the medicinal plant resource is not always technically feasible, cultivation offers a
number of benefits over wild-collection for production of plant-based medicinal products and active
compounds. Main advantages for the value chain actors include: uniform quality of plant raw material,
regularity of supply, controlled postharvest handling, compliance to regulations, organic or biodynamic
certification4.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

 What type of plant-based medicinal and cosmetic products can enhance farmers’ or foresters’ income?
 How will the value chain actors address major challenges for sustainable wild-collection?

Medicinal plant production

According to FAO, the worldwide production of medicinal and aromatic plants is estimated to 330 million tons
from a total area of 77 million ha. However, it is not easy to accurately assess how many MAPs are
commercially traded on an international or even on a national level.

In Europe, there are over 36,000 companies dealing with the cultivation, processing and distribution of
medicinal and aromatic plants with an area exceeding 200,000 ha, most of which is located in France (52,000
ha), Poland (30,000 ha), Spain (27,800 ha), Bulgaria (16,800 ha), Croatia (8,500 ha), Czech Republic (7,225
ha), Italy (7,191 ha), Greece (6,800 ha) and Austria (4,136 ha). More detailed description of the German case
is presented below as enough relevant data is available.

In Germany, medicinal and aromatic plants are cultivated by 750 farmers in a total area of 12,240 ha, most of
which is located in Thuringia, Bavaria, Hesse, Lower Saxony and covers more than 70% of the domestic
cultivation6. The most important medicinal plant species are Chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla L.), anise
(Pimpinella anisum L.), fennel (Foeniculum vulgare Mill.), flax (Linum usitatissimum L.), peppermint (Mentha x
piperita L.) and milk thistle (Silybum marianum L.).

In fact, the current area under medicinal plant cultivation covers only 12% of the growing area required to
fulfil industry’s needs (Figure 1). Due to the growing demand for plant-based medicinal products in Germany,
supply of plant raw material in the industry is approximately 30,700 tons with an economic value of more than
€84 million. Domestic cultivation represents only a niche and almost 90% of dried plant material is imported.

4
Schippmann U, Leaman D, Cunningham AB, 2006. A comparison of cultivation and wild collection of medicinal and
aromatic plants under sustainability aspects. In: Bogers RJ, Craker LE, Lange D (Eds), Medicinal and aromatic plants -
agricultural, commercial, ecological, legal, pharmacological and social aspects. Springer, Berlin, pp. 75-95.
5
https://www.cbd.int/abs/doc/protocol/nagoya-protocol-en.pdf
6
Stelter W, Oehme F, Daebeler S, 2017. Vorstellung der Besonderheiten des Arzneipflanzenanbaus und Förderaktivitäten
des Bundesministeriums für Ernährung und Landwirtschaft (BMEL). In: 3. Tagung Arzneipflanzenanbau in Deutschland -
mit koordinierter Forschung zum Erfolg, Schweinfurt, Germany, June 20-21, pp. 7-21.

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 PLANT-BASED MEDICINAL AND COSMETIC PRODUCTS 15.05.2019

As a result, the target of the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL) was to expand the domestic
production of medicinal and aromatic plants by increasing the cultivation area to 20,000 ha until the year
2020.

Plant Required Current Share

Valerian
species Area (ha) area (ha) (%)
Sage
Chamomile 7,200 1,155 16
Nettle
Fennel 3,640 426 12
Thyme
Anise 2,500 35 1
Lemon balm
Milk thistle Peppermint 2,400 312 13
Peppermint Milk thistle 1,550 117 8
Anise Lemon balm 600 113 19
Fennel Thyme 514 174 34
Chamomile Nettle 500 21 4
0,000 2,000 4,000 6,000 8,000 Sage 400 51 13
ha Valerian 330 31 9
Current area Required area
19,634 2,435 12
Figure 1. Agricultural area for cultivation of the 10 most important medicinal plants in Germany 7

Although domestic cultivation of medicinal and aromatic plants is relatively small compared to other EU
countries, Germany is a leading importer and exporter, expressing the country’s major role as a trader for
medicinal plant raw materials worldwide.

The fact that the majority of the dried plant material is wild-harvested and/or imported outside the EU,
appears as a good opportunity to intensify the cultivation of medicinal and aromatic plants in Europe. Many
farmers, in turn may consider MAP cultivation as more profitable than traditional crops.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

 What are the most important medicinal plant species produced by each country/region?
 How will domestication of wild-collected species and cultivation ensure steady supply of raw material?
 How can remote sensing technologies be used to optimise weed management?
 Can organic farming of medicinal plants be more profitable than conventional?
 How will farmers, individually or associated in cooperatives establish direct contacts with industry?

3. State of the art

Medicinal and aromatic plant value chain
Figure 2 shows the value chain of medicinal and aromatic plants from the raw material to final formulated
product. In order to ensure appropriate and consistent quality of herbal substances via active ingredient
purification, high quality requirements, such as Good Agricultural and Collection Practice (GACP) and Good
Manufacturing Practice (GMP) need to be fulfilled. The value chain of medicinal and aromatic plants
encompasses all processing steps to produce plant-based medicinal and cosmetic products. The main process
steps are: selection of plant raw materials, cultivation and sustainable wild-harvest, postharvest processing

7
Pforte L, 2013. Der Phytopharmazeutika-Markt und sein Bedarf an Arzneipflanzen. In: 2. Tagung Arzneipflanzenanbau in
Deutschland - mit koordinierter Forschung zum Erfolg, Bad Blankenburg (Thüringen), Germany, October 16-17, pp. 21-23.

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 PLANT-BASED MEDICINAL AND COSMETIC PRODUCTS 15.05.2019

(disintegration and drying), on-farm storage, distillation or extraction, purification (and/or isolation), product
formulation and packaging.

Raw material Processing Application

Tea
Solvent Fodder-
additives

Syrup
Fresh Postharvest Drugs: Extract
Cultivation Extraction Drops
herbs Drying Dried herbs preparation
Cream

Phytopharmaceuticals
Food supplements
Cosmetics
Capsules
Wild Joint
Distillation
collection product

Film
colated
Essential tablets
oil

Farmer, local collector, forester Farmer, processor, cooperative

Figure 2. MAP value chain: from raw materials to various plant-based medicinal and cosmetic products8

The process steps of raw material sourcing, postharvest handling and drying are performed by farmers/local
collectors and processors individually or in a cooperative and therefore constitute a special interest of this
focus group. Also, the vast majority of the trade worldwide is based on dried herbal drugs.

Medicinal plant raw material

The active ingredients of medicinal plants are typically localized in different parts e.g., leaf, flower, seed, fruit,
bark, rhizome or root. Plant raw materials vary significantly in terms of consistency and physical properties,
thereby harvesting and processing equipment of individual parts is usually selective.

The limited stability of the target compounds requires careful handling. Bruising of fresh bulk of harvested
material should be avoided. Farm drying must begin immediately to prevent spoilage by enzymatic processes
with subsequent quality deterioration.

On-farm drying process

Different dryer types are used for MAPs e.g., typical grain dryers for seeds, tray dryers for flowers, fruits and
roots. Drying of herbs, in turn, is performed in flat-bed dryers or conveyor-belt dryers following low or high
mechanized processing lines, respectively. The drying behaviour of medicinal and aromatic plants is mainly
affected by the conditions of drying air such as temperature, relative humidity and velocity.

Drying of medicinal plants involves low drying temperatures in order to protect the heat sensitive active
ingredients9.

8
Schmitz N & Pforte L, 2014. Pharmazeutische Produkte. In: Marktanalyse Nachwachsende Rohstoffe, Fachagentur
Nachwachsende Rohstoffe e. V. (FNR), Band 34, pp. 573-674.

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 PLANT-BASED MEDICINAL AND COSMETIC PRODUCTS 15.05.2019

Low-mechanized processing line: Whole plants can be dried by forced air in modular flat-bed dryers. The
drying air passes through material bulks with a height of 50 cm or more. The bulk, representing uncut
harvested plant material should be turned and mixed several times during drying to avoid uneven moisture
distribution and over-drying of the lower layers. The drying air is usually heated indirectly by oil or gas
burners. After drying the drug is crushed to separate the worthless stalks from the leaves. This process is
characterised by a prolonged drying time and considerable energy losses. As a specialised construction, a flat-
bed dryer can be integrated into a solar greenhouse dryer.

High-mechanized processing line: For drying of herbs in multi-belt conveyor dryers, the herb is cut to size
of 5 cm and the leaf particles are separated from the stalks by winnowing. The bulk leafy material of 10 cm in
height is continuously transported by a conveyor belt into the dryer. The dryer is divided into different
temperature zones. Higher air flow is provided in the upper belts, which is proportional to the amount of
evaporated water. Oil or gas heating systems are commonly used to heat the drying air. Drying of leaves
reduces the drying time and the energy costs substantially, however a higher investment is required in
comparison with flat-bed drying.

Energy requirement of medicinal plant drying represents a significant cost factor (e.g., twofold in comparison
with grain drying10) due to the high moisture content of the individual plant parts to be dried.

Alternative drying technologies such as microwave drying, vacuum drying and freeze drying can drastically
enhance product quality, reduce microbial count and save energy11.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

 Is there any promising organisational concept to link up the farms and raise their profitability?
 What are the hurdles for the establishment of machinery rings?
 Are technical drying-related data available for medicinal plants that can be used in practice?

Infrastructure and logistics

After drying, the bulk of the dried plant material is filled in sacks and stored at ambient indoor conditions in
aerated storage facilities. On-farm storage is critical as micro-organisms i.e., moulds, yeasts and bacteria
increasingly grow at water activity, aw > 0.7, while enzymatic activity is also promoted by high values of water
activity. A general threshold of aw ≤ 0.6 is recommended to prevent quality degradation by microbial or
enzymatic activity of medicinal plants during storage.

To decide on suitable final moisture content for specific temperature during processing, storage and
transportation, knowledge of the equilibrium relationship between the moisture content in the plant material
and the relative humidity of the surrounding air is necessary.

This information in practice can be obtained by the moisture sorption isotherm12, which represents a
characteristic property of the medicinal plant species. The optimum moisture content for various medicinal
plant species is prescribed in the European Pharmacopoeia.

9
Argyropoulos D & Müller J, 2014. Changes of essential oil content and composition during convective drying of lemon
balm (Melissa officinalis L.). Industrial Crops and Products, 52, 118-124.
10
Müller J & Heindl A, 2006. Drying of medicinal plants. In: Bogers RJ, Craker LE, Lange D (Eds), Medicinal and aromatic
plants - agricultural, commercial, ecological, legal, pharmacological and social aspects. Springer, Berlin, pp. 237-252.
11
Argyropoulos D & Müller J, 2014. Effect of convective-, vacuum- and freeze drying on sorption behaviour and bioactive
compounds of lemon balm (Melissa officinalis L.). Journal of Applied Research on Medicinal and Aromatic Plants, 1, 59-69.

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 PLANT-BASED MEDICINAL AND COSMETIC PRODUCTS 15.05.2019

On-farm storage is very important to both farmers and buyers. The demand for a continuous and uniform
supply of dried herbal drugs requires advanced traceability tools and short supply routes to the end-use
industries.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

 What are the advantages of having centralised storage facilities in a cooperative?

 How will sensors and digital tools support decision making in postharvest management?

Extraction of active ingredients

Extraction of active compounds from medicinal and aromatic plants is a key process in the value chain. It
requires a technical and operational know-how in order to get the most out of plant matrix, thereby is usually
carried out by professional companies. The extraction cycle has to be defined for each plant species, taking
into account the consistency and the physical properties of the dried drug to be extracted, its active
ingredients, product formulation and end-use.

Process specific variables include the solvent to be used, dried drug/solvent ratio, number of extractions in
sequence, extraction temperature and time. In terms of sustainability, extraction with the use of eco-friendly
solvents, a reduced energy consumption and low CO2 emissions are some important parameters to be
considered.

The use of extraction solvents is regulated in Europe by Directive 2009/32/EC and it should be in compliance
with good manufacturing practice for processing of food, dietary food ingredients and raw materials. Apart
from water, only a small number of solvents are allowed such as propane, butane, ethyl acetate, ethanol,
carbon dioxide and acetone. For certified organic products only water, ethanol and carbon dioxide are
permitted. To ensure overall stability, the liquid plant-derived extracts are typically subjected to freeze drying
or spray drying.

Supercritical CO2 extracts provide many advantages compared to other extraction methods and they are well
appreciated in the field of cosmetics, food and dietary food supplements.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

 How feasible is for smallholder farmers to perform on-farm extraction of active ingredients?
 What are the most profitable options to manage by-product and waste?

Quality criteria of herbal drugs

Quality and microbial safety of herbal drugs is of primary importance to the end-use industries. Not reaching
the quality standards or exceeding the microbial thresholds is a frequent reason for rejection of the dried plant
material by the industry. This results in economic losses for the farmers.

Major classes of pharmacologically active chemical compounds in medicinal plants include alkaloids,
glycosides, essential oils, anthocyanins, bitter substances, phenolic acids, flavonoids, tannins, lectins,
saponins, mucilages and they are concentrated in a specific part of the plant species e.g., root, leaf, flower

12
Argyropoulos D, Alex R, Kohler R, Müller J, 2012. Moisture sorption isotherms and isosteric heat of sorption of leaves
and stems of lemon balm (Melissa officinalis L.) established by dynamic vapour sorption. LWT - Food Science and
Technology, 47, 324-331.

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 PLANT-BASED MEDICINAL AND COSMETIC PRODUCTS 15.05.2019

etc. The content of active ingredients is typically in the range of 0.03 to 5% (dried drug), but the yield varies
across regions, years and even more specific factors such as harvesting season, growing conditions and
cultivation practice.

General recommendations in terms of optimum drying temperature, cannot be given due to the high
heterogeneity of the active compounds, their composition and their location among medicinal plant species13.

However, the minimum quality requirements as well as recommended acceptance criteria for microbiological
quality of air-dried herbal drugs are postulated in the European Pharmacopoeia (Ph. Eur.)14, Europe’s legal
and scientific benchmark for pharmacopoeia standards which contribute to delivering high quality medicines in
Europe and beyond.

Ph. Eur. monographs and other texts are designed to meet the needs of:
 regulatory authorities;
 those engaged in the quality control of medicinal products and their constituents;
 manufacturers of medicinal products and their individual components.

The following Table provides examples of the minimum requirements of active ingredients for three important
herbal drugs, in which the interested compounds are located in different segments of the plant species.

Table 1. Minimum requirements of active ingredients in selected dried drugs as prescribed by Ph. Eur.

Matricaria flower15 Melissa leaf16 Valerian root17

Dried flower Dried leaf Dried rhizome, roots, stolons
Essential oil: min 4 mL/kg Essential oil: N/A Essential oil: min 3 mL/kg
Apigenin 7-glucoside: min 0.25% Rosmarinic acid: min 1.0% Valerenic acid: min 0.10%

In case of lemon balm16, the dried drug with a maximum moisture content of 10% wet basis is assessed in
terms of rosmarinic acid, the content of which should not be less than 1%. The dried herb should contain no
more than 10% of stems with a diameter greater than 1 mm and not more than 2% of other foreign matter.

In addition, wholesale buyers and the pharmaceutical industry set their own specifications in terms of
essential oil content and composition. Moreover, colour of MAPs is considered as a primary quality criterion to
the consumers, who prefer leaves with a natural appearance. Discoloration or browning of air-dried herbs may
also imply quality deterioration during postharvest processing via undesired chemical reactions18.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

 How will overall quality of medicinal plants be monitored by farmers along the production processes?
 Are other drying technologies needed for improving safety, process efficiency and product quality?

13
Müller J, 2007. Convective drying of medicinal, aromatic and spice plants: A review. Stewart Postharvest Review, 3, 1-6.
14
https://www.edqm.eu/en/european-pharmacopoeia-ph-eur-9th-edition
15
Ph. Eur. 7.0, 2011. European Pharmacopoeia, European Directorate for the Quality of Medicines & HealthCare (EDQM).
Council of Europe, Strasbourg, France, Matricaria flower, pp. 1178-1179.
16
Ph. Eur. 7.0, 2011. European Pharmacopoeia, European Directorate for the Quality of Medicines & HealthCare (EDQM).
Council of Europe, Strasbourg, France, Melissa leaf, pp. 1184-1185.
17
Ph. Eur. 7.0, 2011. European Pharmacopoeia, European Directorate for the Quality of Medicines & HealthCare (EDQM).
Council of Europe, Strasbourg, France, Valerian root, pp. 1261-1262.
18
Argyropoulos D & Müller J, 2014. Kinetics of change in colour and rosmarinic acid equivalents during convective drying
of lemon balm (Melissa officinalis L.). Journal of Applied Research on Medicinal and Aromatic Plants, 1, 15-22.

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4. Funded research projects

Few large-scale research projects dealing with the priorities of the focus group on plant-based medicinal and
cosmetic products have been recently carried out or are currently ongoing across Europe.

They are funded under EU programmes managed by the Commission in the areas of research, innovation and
competitiveness, in particular the Horizon 2020 Framework Programme, the Erasmus+ Programme and the
European Territorial Cooperation (INTERREG) as well as national research and demonstration initiatives.

Some examples of the funded activities are listed below to illustrate the complexity of the topic and to
highlight that multi-actor approach is needed to address challenges and opportunities for farmers/foresters in
the MAP value chain.

KAMEL – Promoting domestic cultivation of medicinal plants in Germany

BMEL, FNR Demonstrationsprojekt Arzneipflanzen

https://pflanzen.fnr.de/projekte/arzneipflanzen/demonstrationsprojekt-arzneipflanzen-kamel/

The aim of the demonstration project KAMEL was to increase the product quality and profitability of three
important model medicinal plant species i.e., chamomile flowers, lemon balm leaves, valerian roots through
fundamental and applied research and thereby intensify the domestic cultivation practices of medicinal and
aromatic plants in Germany.

A value-chain oriented research in plant breeding, cultivation, harvesting and postharvest technology aims
to enable farmers to deliver high-quality dried herbal drugs, to meet market requirements and increase
competitiveness.

Linking all activities in the aforementioned sectors has already led to a noticeable innovation boost.

GRACE – Growing industrial crops on marginal lands

BBI Demonstration Project: GRowing Advanced industrial Crops on marginal lands for biorEfineries
https://www.grace-bbi.eu/marginal-lands/

In the GRACE project, Miscanthus and Hemp are cultivated on marginal lands, currently not used for the
production of food or feed crops. In this context, marginal land is defined as land where biophysical (e.g.,
low soil fertility) or socio-economic constraints hinder the cultivation of food and feed crops. This also
includes contaminated land for example polluted by heavy metals.

The overall aim of the project is to have commercial cultivars, which are suitable for marginal, contaminated
or unused land, available at the end of the project with proven feasibility for a set of end-uses. This
includes their performance in the value chain, but also their environmental and economic profile.

The specific objectives are to produce sustainable products with a strong market potential; to guarantee a
reliable and affordable supply of sustainably produced biomass; and to better link biomass producers with
the processing industry.

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INCREdible – Innovation networks of medicinal and aromatic plants

H2020 Thematic Network: Innovation Networks of Cork, Resins and Edibles in the Mediterranean basin
https://www.incredibleforest.net/

The INCREDIBLE project aims to build a bi-directional channel to connect science and practice in the
production, processing and trade channels of Mediterranean Non-Wood Forest Products, an important
natural resource to support sustainable forest management and rural development.

To connect and share the knowledge and best practices of researchers, technicians, forest owners, among
other stakeholders. INCREDIBLE is developing Innovation Networks (iNets) around five different groups of
Mediterranean Non-Wood Forest Products (NWFPs): Cork; Resins; Mushrooms & Truffles; Nuts & Berries;
Medicinal & Aromatic Plants.

VALUEPAM – Sustainable management of plant biodiversity

Interreg Sudoe: Valorisation of Aromatic and Medicinal Plants: Sustainable management of plant
biodiversity and socio-economic development in rural areas of SUDOE
http://www.valuepam.eu/

ValuePAM is a transnational project involving Portuguese, Spanish and French partners. It is 75% co-
financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), through an Interreg SUDOE program
(Interreg V-B South-West Europe Cooperation Program).

Its objective is to improve the value of the resource of certain aromatic and medicinal plants and their
management, in the perspective of an economic diversification and a sustainable development of the
natural spaces as well as the rural areas of the SUDOE space.

To do this, the project carries out MAP characterisation actions in the territories involved: analyse of certain
species, proposal of resource management plans and other pilot experiments such as cultivation.

GOOD HERBS – Training in herb processing for food and supplements

Erasmus+: Integration of good practices and new methods for professional training in the field of herb
processing for food and food supplements
http://good-herbs.eu/

The main objective of the project is to educate, train, inform and disseminate the latest, new scientific
evidences, legislation in force, hygienic rules as well as the best manufacturing practices of herbs in order
to ensure the quality, safety, nutritive and functional quality, useful for food and food supplements
industries.

In this way the outcomes will increase the opportunities of professional development and improve the
competence, cooperation and competitiveness in the MAP value chain.

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 PLANT-BASED MEDICINAL AND COSMETIC PRODUCTS 15.05.2019

5. Ecosystem building
The focus group on plant-based medicinal and cosmetic products aims to foster collaboration between all
stakeholders involved in the value chain strengthening the transition of medicinal plant production in Europe
from a niche to a larger market share.

The experts build a fertile ecosystem of MAP growers, local/regional collectors of wild plants, processors,
companies, policymakers, technology providers, researchers, end-users, investors and various associations
open to multiple pathways of innovation, rural development, sustainable growth and better performing value
chains.

The focus group consists of 20 experts

with complementary types of knowledge
i.e., seven farmers, three advisers, five
researchers, one civil servant, one herbal
therapist, one forester and land owner, one
from industry, one NGO representative and
the facilitation team from 15 European
countries who offer a wide expertise from
science, practical experience, industry and
governmental institutions (Figure 3).

Each of them has a specific role to play in

the focus group and each role acts
synergistically with the others. The focus
group links scientists with theoretical and
methodological expertise with practitioners
and stakeholders knowledgeable about the
medicinal plant sector.

The focus group will promote innovative

ideas connecting the actors involved in the
concerned value chains. The aim is to
make best use of scientific and practical
knowledge for the co-creation and diffusion Figure 3. Focus Group on Plant-based medicinal and
cosmetic products (Experts from 15 European countries)
of existing solutions ready to solve practical
problems on topics around domestication, sustainable wild-collection, cultivation, postharvest processing and
extraction, product development, access to markets, logistics and distribution.

Current research results on innovation will be taken into account. The focus group will make use of a strong
selection of national or international research and innovation activities which will be linked to focus group’s
objectives.

The visibility and impact of the focus group will be boosted through wide existing networks established with
experts of the focus group and direct involvement of experts in past and ongoing projects. This will permit a
smooth exchange of information and the use of well-established dissemination networks.

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 PLANT-BASED MEDICINAL AND COSMETIC PRODUCTS 15.05.2019

Annex A. Members of the Focus Group

Name of the expert Profession Country
Moré Palos, Eva Adviser Spain
Olsanska, Gabriela Adviser Czech Rep.
Primavera, Andrea Adviser Italy
Rode, Janko Civil servant Slovenia
Carmody, Kate Farmer Ireland
de Jongh, Willemijn Farmer Portugal
Księżopolski, Robert Farmer Poland
Mikulcic Jakopovic, Snježana Farmer Croatia
Peycheva-Miteva, Galina Farmer Bulgaria
Redek, Jernej Farmer Slovenia
Zapušek, Alenka Farmer Slovenia
Cogliandro, Alessia Industry Belgium
De Paoli, Alexandra Herbal therapist Sweden
Fernandez Moya, Jesus Forester and land owner Spain
Freire Cavaleiro, Carlos Manuel Researcher Portugal
Frémondière, Guillaume Researcher France
Grigoriadou, Katerina Researcher Greece
Nicola, Silvana Researcher Italy
Schunko, Christoph Researcher Austria
Cortegano, Marta Representative of an NGO Portugal

Facilitation team
Argyropoulos, Dimitrios Coordinating expert
Karasinski, Céline Task manager
Fernandez-Lopez, Susana Co-task manager
Ganci, Eleonora DG AGRI contact person (Horizon 2020/Europe)
Zona, Antonella DG AGRI contact person (European Innovation Partnership)

You can contact Focus Group members through the online EIP-AGRI Network.
Only registered users can access this area. If you already have an account, you can log in here
If you want to become part of the EIP-AGRI Network, please register to the website through this link

14
The European Innovation Partnership 'Agricultural Productivity and
Sustainability' (EIP-AGRI) is one of five EIPs launched by the European
Commission in a bid to promote rapid modernisation by stepping up innovation
efforts.
The EIP-AGRI aims to catalyse the innovation process in the agricultural and
forestry sectors by bringing research and practice closer together – in
research and innovation projects as well as through the EIP-AGRI network.
EIPs aim to streamline, simplify and better coordinate existing instruments and
initiatives and complement them with actions where necessary. Two specific
funding sources are particularly important for the EIP-AGRI:
 the EU Research and Innovation framework, Horizon 2020,
 the EU Rural Development Policy.
An EIP AGRI Focus Group* is one of several different building blocks of the
EIP-AGRI network, which is funded under the EU Rural Development policy.
Working on a narrowly defined issue, Focus Groups temporarily bring together
around 20 experts (such as farmers, advisers, researchers, up- and downstream
businesses and NGOs) to map and develop solutions within their field.
The concrete objectives of a Focus Group are:
 to take stock of the state of art of practice and research in its field,
listing problems and opportunities;
 to identify needs from practice and propose directions for further
research;
 to propose priorities for innovative actions by suggesting potential
projects for Operational Groups working under Rural Development or
other project formats to test solutions and opportunities, including ways
to disseminate the practical knowledge gathered.
Results are normally published in a report within 12-18 months of the launch of a
given Focus Group.
Experts are selected based on an open call for interest. Each expert is appointed
based on his or her personal knowledge and experience in the particular field and
therefore does not represent an organisation or a Member State.

*More details on EIP-AGRI Focus Group aims and process are given in its charter
on:
http://ec.europa.eu/agriculture/eip/focus-groups/charter_en.pdf