Dr. Nasser Al-Habsi from the College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences observed that the utilisation of the Mabsali dates was quite limited. They were often wasted, used as animal feed, or exported at low prices. In one of his research projects, Dr. Al-Habsi sought to develop these dates into high-value food products that could contribute to Oman’s food security.

Dr. Al-Habsi’s research aimed to enhance sustainability and reduce food waste by recycling date by-products, analysing their economic feasibility, and assessing their impact on the Omani date market. His work also focused on providing natural sugar alternatives for baked goods and developing an edible coating derived from date pits to extend the shelf life of fresh dates.

The researcher and his team improved the process of removing pits from hard dates to enhance production efficiency. They also developed date powder as a natural sugar substitute for baked goods such as cakes. One significant achievement was the creation of a biodegradable food packaging material derived from date pits as an alternative to synthetic plastic packaging.

These findings opened new opportunities for investing in Mabsali dates in innovative ways. The research team recommended further exploration of natural sweetener components, particularly “Mahmoula”, to enhance flavour and nutritional value. They also suggested utilising fibres extracted from date pits as dietary supplements and specifically employing lignin in biodegradable food packaging applications.

Dr. Al-Habsi believes that there is great potential for developing sustainable and either partially or fully biodegradable packaging solutions to improve product sustainability and market appeal. This would expand the commercial viability of baked goods made with natural ingredients, catering to the growing demand for healthy and delicious foods.

It is worth noting that the processed “Basoor” powder product developed by the research team has been submitted for a patent in the United States and is currently in its final approval stages.