UDSM Researchers Win Patent Approval for Orange Peel Wine-Preserving Innovation
By Selemani Nambimbi and Remmy Wilson, CMU
A waste product commonly discarded after eating oranges could help address a persistent challenge in wine production. Researchers from the University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM), in collaboration with the Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences (MUHAS), have secured patent approval for a natural antibrowning technology developed from orange peels.
The innovation brings together researchers from , the Dar es Salaam University College of Education (DUCE), and Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences (MUHAS) at the Institute of Traditional Medicine (ITM), demonstrating how scientific collaboration can transform everyday waste into a potentially valuable product.
Laboratory tests showed that wine treated with the orange peel extract achieved approximately 74 per cent inhibition of browning over 28 days, highlighting its potential to improve colour stability during storage.
The Business Registrations and Licensing Agency (BRELA), in a notification dated September 15, 2026, communicated the Registrar’s decision to grant a patent for the invention, titled “Natural Antibrowning Agent from Crude Orange Peel Extract for Wine Production.” The application, numbered TZ/P/2026/000219, was filed in the name of UDSM.
The invention was developed through collaboration among researchers from UDSM-DUCE and MUHAS, demonstrating the value of partnerships in bringing together scientific expertise to address practical challenges.
The patent application identifies the inventors as Mr. Martine Kabezi (UDSM-DUCE), Dr. Lucas Paul Luchemba (UDSM-DUCE), Dr. James Zacharia Tano Zacharia (UDSM-DUCE) and Dr. Michael Qwarse Xwatsal (MUHAS-ITM).
Dr. Lucas Luchemba explained the motivation behind the discovery: “Our aim was to explore how locally available resources, including materials often discarded as waste, could be transformed into useful scientific innovations. The laboratory findings demonstrate the potential of orange peel extract to help address the problem of browning in wine.”
Turning orange-peel waste into a valuable resource
Wine can develop an undesirable brown colour through oxidation during storage, affecting its appearance and potentially its market appeal. Conventional preservation methods may rely on sulphites and other additives, prompting interest in natural alternatives that can maintain quality.
The UDSM-led research addresses this challenge by harnessing naturally occurring antioxidant compounds in orange peels, including polyphenols, flavonoids and ascorbic acid. These compounds help suppress oxidative reactions responsible for colour deterioration.
The process involves collecting orange peels, drying and grinding them, then extracting the antioxidant compounds using an ethanol-water solvent system. The extract is subsequently filtered, concentrated and dried before being formulated for use in wine production.
Laboratory evaluations showed that the extract performed significantly better than ascorbic acid at equivalent concentrations and approached the effectiveness of sulphur dioxide.
The patent documentation further indicates that a concentration of approximately 20 milligrams per litre can provide significant browning inhibition while maintaining acceptable sensory quality.
Commenting on the experimental findings, Mr. Martine Kabezi explained: “The results are encouraging because they show that orange peel extract can significantly slow wine browning under the tested conditions. Further development will be important in determining how the technology can be applied beyond the laboratory.”
While further development and practical application will determine its commercial potential, the findings offer a promising starting point for exploring natural approaches to wine preservation.
From waste reduction to economic opportunity
Beyond wine production, the innovation illustrates how research can turn discarded materials into resources with potential environmental and economic benefits.
Orange peels are often thrown away after consumption or food processing, yet they contain compounds that can be recovered for useful applications. Transforming this waste into a functional ingredient could support value addition, reduce waste and encourage more sustainable food-processing practices.
The technology also reflects the principles of a circular economy, in which materials are reused productively rather than discarded. If successfully developed for wider application, it could offer opportunities in wine production and other fermented beverages where oxidation and colour stability are important considerations.
For Tanzania, the innovation highlights the potential of locally available resources to support technological development and generate solutions relevant to industry. Its wider impact will depend on further development, production feasibility and successful translation into practical applications.
UDSM Deputy Vice Chancellor-Research, Prof. Nelson Boniface, highlighted the broader significance of the achievement: “This patent approval demonstrates the value of investing in research that responds to real-world challenges. It also reinforces the importance of protecting intellectual property and creating opportunities for research findings to be developed into practical solutions.”
The patent approval marks progress in protecting the University’s intellectual property and provides a foundation for exploring further development, technology transfer and possible commercialisation.
Although patent approval does not itself establish commercial readiness, it is an important step in safeguarding the invention and recognising the research behind it.
Advancing UDSM’s contribution to national development
The achievement reinforces UDSM’s role in advancing research and innovation that seek to address societal and industrial challenges.
By investigating the potential of orange peel extract, the researchers have demonstrated how scientific inquiry can uncover value in ordinary materials and open new possibilities for sustainable production.
For the University, the significance extends beyond the patent itself. It lies in demonstrating how collaboration, scientific investigation and locally available resources can contribute to solutions with potential environmental and economic benefits.
As Tanzania advances its ambitions for a knowledge-driven economy, innovations such as this highlight the importance of sustained investment in research, intellectual property protection and partnerships that help translate locally generated knowledge into practical technologies.
The orange-peel innovation offers a compelling example of how what is often considered waste can become the starting point for scientific discovery—and how university research can help turn that discovery into an opportunity for sustainable development.