A team of scientists from Mohammed V University in Rabat won two prestigious awards at the World Young Scientist Summit. Their work focuses on the sustainable valorisation of argan press cake in the agri-food industry.
The excellence of national scientific research shines once again on the international stage. At the World Young Scientist Summit 2026, held in Wenzhou in eastern China, a team of researchers from Mohammed V University in Rabat secured two top-tier honours. The delegation from the Faculty of Sciences of Rabat distinguished itself through an innovative study dedicated to the sustainable use of argan press cake, a plant by-product resulting from argan oil extraction. Researchers Badr Eddine Kartah, Asma El Kaourat, and Hanae El Monfalouti won the award for best scientific paper, while Professor Kartah was also awarded the prize for best oral presentation before a panel of global specialists.
Agri-food valorisation of an iconic Kingdom resource
Titled « Sustainable valorisation of argan press cake: nutritional and technological quality of wheat bread enriched with argan press cake« , the study explores incorporating these residues into breadmaking to boost the nutritional value of everyday food. Developed within the Plant Chemistry and Organic and Bioorganic Synthesis Laboratory, this approach fully aligns with circular economy principles and raw material waste reduction. This innovation has also been granted a national patent filed with the Moroccan Office of Industrial and Commercial Property (OMPIC), while securing a scientific publication in the leading international journal Foods.
The country’s scientific potential highlighted in Wenzhou
This double award crowns the talent of national researchers during a major global gathering bringing together nearly eight hundred participants from over sixty countries. Up against more than three hundred high-level scientific presentations covering advanced technologies, artificial intelligence, and sustainable development, the Moroccan contribution won over international panels through its industrial relevance and territorial roots. This global success demonstrates the capacity of the country’s universities to transform local natural resources into high-value technological solutions, paving the way for promising economic outlets in the agri-food sector.
