Adding value to Andean blueberries (Vaccinium floribundum Kunth) by processing healthy products as a contribution to food security in Ecuador. Development of concentrated clarified juice and powder juice with high contents of anthocyanins

Mortiño (Vaccinium floribundum Kunth), also known as the Andean blueberry, has an outstanding nutritional value, in particular due to its phenolic compounds. Therefore it holds a significant commercial potential.
The aim of this study was to add value to this native fruit of Ecuador that until now is underutilized. Furthermore, it should be investigated how an intensified use and an added value to the Andean blueberry could contribute to food security of the people that live in mortiño growing areas. For this purpose, products based on mortiño were elaborated to extend the shelf life, thus making it available for the consumer all year round. These products should be of high quality and high nutritional value, which means a maximum amount of bioactive compounds such as polyphenols and anthocyanins, as this leads, subsequently, to a high international commercial interest.
This work studies the effects of the application of membrane technology and spray drying to obtain concentrated clarified juice and powder juice of the Andean blueberry. The concentration process of mortiño juice by reverse osmosis was optimized in order to retain a maximum amount of polyphenols, especially anthocyanins. Before this process could be applied, it was necessary to clarify the juice by microfiltration. The investigated parameters were temperature, varying between 30-40 °C, and pressure, varying between 40-60 bar. In the second step an instant powder juice was produced by spray drying, using two different juice-maltodextrin-mixtures. The solid contents of the concentrated blueberry juice were microencapsulated with maltodextrin, which acts as a carrier and drying agent. Maltodextrin was blended with the juice in ratio of 1:1 and 1:1.5 (juice solids : maltodextrin solids, w:w).
Best results for the juice concentration were obtained using a temperature of 40 °C and a pressure of 40 bar. For the spray drying process the 1:1.5 mixture showed a smaller and more homogenous particle size, and better solubility. Anthocyanin and polyphenol contents were almost the same in both samples.
With the purpose of evaluating how mortiño can be used as an income source, already existing projects, two organizations and one community, were visited and interviewed. These projects proved that mortiño can contribute to income increase in Ecuadorian Andean communities. The key to this success is the importance of a multidimensional approach, with a focus on sustainable development.