Blueberries are spherical or semispherical or semispherical, tiny, soft, and sweet blue fruits ranging from 0.7 to 1.5 cm in diameter.
These fruits can be consumed without peeling or cutting and contain glucose and fructose. Blueberries were popularized as a “super fruit” due mainly to their high antioxidant activity and abundant bioactive compounds.
Despite the benefits of blueberries, they are seasonal fruit.
Lowbush blueberries are typically grown for processed blueberries used in baked goods, yogurts, and fresh and processed organic fruit.
Highbush blueberry fruit is used fresh and frozen for use in processed foods.
In countries that are large blueberry producers, blueberries not intended for fresh consumption are most often frozen in fluidized tunnel freezers. In the world markets, fresh blueberries are sold in retail packages, and frozen blueberries are sold in bulk packages.
The latter, as half-products, are used for processing, that is, for making jams, conserves, or juices. Fruit collected by machine is sorted and stored, and most of it is later sold for industrial processing. The advantage of such a procedure is the effective use of almost the entire crop. Even unripe and defective fruit can be processed.
Healthy but damaged fruit is processed as an ingredient for yogurts or ice creams, whereas unripe fruit is treated as a source of selected biologically active compounds.
Generally, blueberries in a fresh form consist of water, carbohydrates, proteins, and fat. Blueberries are a good source of dietary fiber that constitutes 3% – 3.5% of fruit weight, which may be varied depending on the horticultural practices.
Besides the taste, the main interest in this fruit is due to the moderate vitamin C content and other vitamins like vitamins A, D, and E. One hundred grams of blueberries provide, on average, 10 mg of ascorbic acid, which is equal to 1/3 of the daily recommended intake.
Moreover, blueberries have bioactive compounds such as flavonoids (especially anthocyanins), tannins, and phenolic acids, as well as various beneficial health properties attributed to blueberries.
*The active compounds may be varied depending on the horticultural practices of the plantation.
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Wow, gleaned from AgTech FoodTech Group on LinkedIn, by Chang Hong Eyu
