Designing the Quality Characteristics of Berry Processing Byproducts Using Fermentation

Abstract

In recent years, there has been increasing interest in berry fruit processing byproducts, namely, seeds, pulp, and peel, due to the high content of nutritionally valuable ingredients. The market is seeing an increase in the popularity of fermented products, especially those from vegetables or fruits. Fermented fruit pomace can be used as an ingredient or food additive. Many studies have confirmed that the fermentation process can increase the antioxidant activity of plant extracts due to the decomposition of cell walls. The aim of this study was to evaluate the microbiological quality and antioxidant potential of fermented berry pomace (from chokeberry, blackcurrant, raspberry, and strawberry) in terms of its potential use as an alternative source of valuable ingredients for the design of new food products. The scope of this research included assessing microbiological quality, vitamin C and total phenolic compound (TPC) contents, and antioxidant activity using ABTS, DPPH, and FRAP assays. The polyphenolic compound and vitamin C contents, as well as antioxidant activity, depended on the mixture of microbial strains used for fermentation and the type of fruit pomace. The most favorable parameters for TPC, ABTS, DPPH, and FRAP were obtained for chokeberry pomace samples inoculated with yeast cultures. Chokeberry pomace exhibited the highest vitamin C content when inoculated with a mixture of bacteria.