Development of a product and technological innovation related to the process of producing quality fruit wine from Kamchatka berry using the electrodialysis process

Haskap berries have valuable health and medicinal properties. In natural medicine in Russia, China and Japan, it appears very often as a remedy for diseases of the digestive and cardiovascular systems.

• Blue honeysuckle berries in the diet prevent anemia, lower blood pressure, support digestion, and reduce the risk of atherosclerosis, diabetes and obesity. In addition, the plant has antiseptic, antiviral and antibacterial properties.
• Studies of haskap fruit extracts have shown that this plant is active against bacteria and microorganisms. Its activity applies especially to strains of such bacteria. such as Escherichia coli, staphylococcus, fecal streptococcus, corynebacteria, diphtheria, Campylobacter, meningitis and Streptococcus mutans.
• In December 2018, haskap fruits were included on the list of novel foods by the European Food Safety Organization, pursuant to Resolution (EU) No. 2015/2283 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 November 2015
• The haskap fruit itself, despite its unique health-promoting properties, has a rather sour taste and is therefore not suitable for some consumers. The conducted survey research revealed the problem of excessive acidity of wines available on the market. Due to the above, there was a need to improve haskap wine by limiting its sour taste in order to reach a larger group of consumers.

The aim of the operation is to develop and implement into practice innovations in the use of the electrodialysis process in the production of haskap wine in order to deacidify it (reduce titratable and actual acidity).

The results of the operation will be:

1. Improved product in the form of haskap wine with improved taste.
2. A by-product produced during the electrodialysis process, which is diluate (deacidification liquid separated from wine).
3. Technology for producing wine from haskap berries using the electrodialysis process.

Project activities

The following activities will be carried out as part of the operation:

1. Checking the usefulness of the electrodialysis technique in the separation and concentration of acids from haskap wine.
2. Selection of the optimal electrodialysis time for the deacidification depth.
3. Building a prototype of an electrodialyzer dedicated to deacidification of quality fruit wines.
4. Reduction of wine acidity from the current level of 14.5 g/L to acidity in the range of 10-12 g/L.
5. Investigating the properties of diluate (liquid separated from wine after deacidification), which can be widely used in the food industry.

Practice summary

Cooperation and activities undertaken as part of the operation in question will be aimed primarily at strengthening innovation and increasing technological advancement, which will increase the added value of agriculture and improve its quality and efficiency.

Intensification of cooperation in this area will allow for the effective transfer of knowledge and commercialization of developed solutions, and as a result, it will improve the innovativeness of the business, science and agricultural sectors. One of the expected results of the operation will be an application that will enable the "small winemaker" to better check indicators such as liquid level and temperature.

Using the application, the technologist will have insight into the parameters presented on the daily chart. If the above-mentioned limit points are exceeded, parameters, an alarm will be activated. A farmer using a digital solution will benefit from a number of benefits that make it easier to plan and organize his work.

Additional comments

Due to the fact that quality haskap wine is a rare product, no research has been carried out on its properties so far. Electrodialysis itself in the wine industry is an innovative deacidification method. In the food industry, electrodialysis is used for other purposes, e.g. in the dairy industry for demineralization of whey, in the fruit and vegetable industry for deacidification of juices and inhibition of enzymes, in the production of organic acids - for their separation from post-fermentation solutions, and is also a permitted oenological treatment for stabilization of products. grape winemaking (removal of tartar). However, no one has so far used the electrodialysis process to deacidify quality fruit wines, which include haskap wine.

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of a robust and resilient food system that functions in all circumstances and is able to ensure that citizens have access to a sufficient supply of food at affordable prices. It has also made us realize very clearly the interconnections between health, ecosystems, supply chains, consumption patterns and the limits of the planet. It is obvious that as much as possible must be done to ensure that society functions in a healthy system. The current pandemic is just one example. The increasing occurrence of droughts, floods, forest fires and new pests is a constant reminder that our food system can be easily disrupted and must become more sustainable and resilient. Thanks to the implementation of the project, cooperation channels between entities from various sectors will be supported.