Through a strategic partnership between the Centre for Applied Food Sustainability and Biotechnology (CAFSaB) and Preserve Botanica (Pty) Ltd, researchers at the Central University of Technology, Free State (CUT) are transforming agricultural waste into high-value commercial products. Led by Prof. Olga de Smidt, this innovative waste upcycling project focuses on the stream distillation, chemical characterisation, and antimicrobial analysis of essential oils and extracts derived from South African hop varieties.

By extracting and refining oils from waste plant material during the annual hop harvest, the collaboration has successfully bridged the gap between academic research and commercial application. This initiative has not only yielded a publication in the prestigious Q1 journal Life but has also directly informed the development of experimental craft beers and a functional, non-alcoholic hop water beverage, showcasing CUT's commitment to sustainable innovation in the beverage sector.