Rhubarb Rehab. Design breathes new life into by-products from the agri-food sector

What can design achieve when it encounters a byproduct and a company willing to experiment? “Rhubarb Rehab” tells the story of the experiment born from the collaboration between the PoliTo Food Design Lab at the Polytechnic University of Turin, Distillerie Brillo, and the Turin Chamber of Commerce. The project, guided by the discipline of design, explores the byproducts of rhubarb distillation through a process of observation, testing, dialogue with the company, and prototyping. This experimentation allows for a deeper understanding of the material, the formulation of hypotheses, and the exploration of various possibilities for valorizing the byproduct. Among these are the creation of new edible products and the development of recovery methods integrated into the production process. This is an example of how design can create the conditions for exploring, learning, and conceptualizing together with the company, transforming experimentation into a resource for innovation.

Speakers: Diego Albesano (Design Cluster Promotion, Camera di commercio di Torino); Raffaele Passaro (Researcher, Politecnico di Torino).