ALLFRUIT4ALL - DEVELOPMENT OF INNOVATIVE FRUIT PRODUCTS TO INCREASE THEIR CONSUMPTION, PROMOTE HEALTH AND REDUCE AGRICULTURAL WASTE

PID2019-104269RR-C33

To obtain high-quality products and achieve a competitive advantage, producers demand better raw materials, better manufacturing processes and optimal storage conditions. Interest is greatest when sensory properties add significant value to the product. This is the case of fresh fruit or products derived from fruit. On the other hand, there is growing concern about the low consumption of fruit in a producing country such as Spain.

Beyond lifestyle changes, the decline in fruit consumption is also attributed to "loss of flavor" or "tastelessness." This happens because the fruit is a perishable product and the tendency of farmers is to harvest unripe so that the fruit can reach the consumer in a healthy state, but at the cost of losing its characteristic flavor and aroma. The launch on the market of fruits that taste better and are optimally ripe for consumption could reverse the situation.

However, improving the chemical and sensory properties and maintaining them for longer storage times requires a deeper understanding and control of the production process. From an analytical point of view, this can be achieved using the Process Analytical Technologies (PAT) approach: a system for designing, analyzing and controlling manufacturing through time-based measurements of critical quality attributes of materials and processes, with the aim of guaranteeing the quality of the final product. Considering the continuous improvement of instrumental analytical techniques, the potential impact of PATs in the fruit sector is enormous, in terms of product quality and safety, process and resource efficiency, yields and, consequently, competitiveness.

Following this trend, this project develops analytical tools, based on infrared spectroscopy and mass spectrometry, to monitor key parameters (physicochemical and sensory) of fresh peaches and grapes, fresh cut fruit, juices / wines and snacks. The two main objectives are:

1. To decide whether the fresh fruit should be consumed as such or processed to obtain derivatives.
2. To understand the ripening and production processes, guarantee the quality of the final product and minimize production costs.

Quality control is carried out in:

1. Raw materials (peaches and grapes) during ripening.
2. Production processes (preparation of fresh cuts, juices and/or wine and snacks).

Collected data will be processed with chemometric tools and correlated with quality parameters.

The instrumentation used in this project is expensive and therefore unaffordable for many small producers. To provide companies with a fast but cheaper methodology to control product quality, the developed models will be transferred to low-cost portable instruments that have appeared on the market in recent years. In this way, the project could contribute to sustainable local development and job creation.

Finally, as the PAT philosophy is an interdisciplinary approach, involving analytical chemists, food engineers or instrument developers, this project will allow building a national and international network of researchers in these disciplines, allowing us to join the forefront of R+D+I in our sector/market.