Objectives
The main objective is to develop new products through the application of a new technological process that combines hot air drying (conventional) and microwave vacuum drying. These new products (healthy snacks) will be made from fruits (apples, pears and peaches) that have been thinly sliced and dried, with a shelf life of 4–6 months.
In order to achieve the stated objective, the pilot project will be carried out between March 2017 and September 2019, with a duration of 30 months from the start date of the project.
Objectives
El objetivo principal es desarrollar nuevos productos utilizando fruta (manzana, pera y melocotón) cortada en láminas y secada (snack saludable), con una vida útil de 4-6 meses, mediante la aplicación de un proceso tecnológico nuevo que combina el secado con aire caliente (convencional) y la aplicación de la tecnología de microondas al vacío.
La ejecución del proyecto piloto para alcanzar el objetivo planteado se llevará a cabo entre marzo de 2017 y septiembre de 2019, es decir, en 30 meses desde la fecha de inicio del proyecto.
Activities
1. DESIGN OF A MIXED DRYING PROCESS, COMBINING CONVENTIONAL DRYING AND MICROWAVE VACUUM DRYING FOR APPLES, PEARS AND PEACHES
-DESIGN OF A MIXED DRYING PROCESS FOR APPLES
-DESIGN OF A MIXED DRYING PROCESS FOR PEARS
-DESIGN OF A MIXED DRYING PROCESS FOR YELLOW PEACHES
-DRYING TREATMENT IMPACT STUDY
-SHELF LIFE AND FOOD SAFETY STUDY
-DATA ANALYSIS AND REPORTING
2. SESSIONS/SEMINARS FOR THE DISSEMINATION OF FINDINGS TO COMPANIES IN THE SECTOR AND STAFF INVOLVED IN THE AGRI-FOOD NETWORK
Activities
1. DISEÑO DE UN PROCESO DE SECADO MIXTO, COMBINACIÓN DE SECADO CONVENCIONAL Y APLICACIÓN DE MICROONDAS AL VACIO PARA MANZANA, PERA Y MELOCOTÓN
- DISEÑO DE UN PROCESO DE SECADO MIXTO PARA MANZANA
- DISEÑO DE UN PROCESO DE SECADO MIXTO PARA PERA
- DISEÑO DE UN PROCESO DE SECADO MIXTO PARA MELOCOTÓN AMARILLO
- ESTUDIO DEL EFECTO DEL TRATAMIENTO DE SECADO
- ESTUDIO DE VIDA ÚTIL Y SEGURIDAD ALIMENTARIA
- ANÁLISIS DE RESULTADOS Y REDACCIÓN INFORMES
2. SESIONES / SEMINARIOS DE DISEMINACIÓN PARA EMPRESAS DEL SECTOR Y PERSONAL IMPLICADO EN LA CADENA AGROALIMENTARIA
Contexte
Consumers are increasingly demanding safe, tasty, naturally flavoured, high-quality food that resemble fresh products. In order to meet these demands without compromising food safety, novel and emerging technologies can be applied to the development of fruit-based processed products. Of these technologies, microwave vacuum drying stands out. The key objective of food drying is to extract water and solids up to a level where microbial contamination can be avoided. In conventional drying, products are dried at a high temperature over a long period of time.
Fruits and vegetables have a critical point of dry mass content. If the moisture content is reduced to this point during conventional drying, quality parameters remain unchanged. Thus, drying by combining hot air and a vacuum microwave is an efficient process from an energetic and economic point of view, as well as providing a product of higher quality than the popular fried snack.
In this context, the present pilot project aims to develop a minimally processed, fruit-based product that is convenient and safe, maintains sensory properties and nutritional quality, and has a sufficient shelf life to permit commercialisation (distribution). The development of a healthy snack made of fruit that has similar sensory properties and nutritional quality to those of the fresh fruit and highly convenient to use, may help to increase consumer confidence, satisfaction and, therefore, product acceptability. This would contribute to an increased level of consumer health and wellbeing, as well as introducing a new product onto the market that opens the door to an alternative to fresh fruit marketing and is in line with the current trend towards clean labelling.
Project details
- Main funding source
- Rural development 2014-2020 for Operational Groups
- Rural Development Programme
- 2014ES06RDRP009 Spain - Rural Development Programme (Regional) - Cataluña
Emplacement
- Main geographical location
- Barcelona
- Other geographical location
- Girona, Tarragona
€ 198000
Total budget
Total contributions from EAFRD, national co-financing, additional national financing and other financing.
Contacts
Project coordinator
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Josep Maria Viader
Project coordinator
Project partners
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ACTEL, SCCL
Project partner
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GIRONA FRUITS
Project partner
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GIROPOMA COSTA BRAVA
Project partner
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IRTA
Project partner