Understanding the compositional changes of organic matter in torrefied olive mill pomace compost using infrared spectroscopy and chemometrics.

Composting olive mill pomace (OMP), the major by-product of the olive oil industry, is an attractive waste management practice in the context of sustainable food production. Thermal treatment of compost at mild temperatures (torrefaction) can aid to improve its characteristics as a soil amendment. This study aims to understand the chemical changes occurring during torrefaction of olive mill pomace-based (OMP) compost, as well as to evaluate the treatment effects on compost at different stages of maturation.