Antioxidant activity, anthocyanins, and phenolics of rabbiteye blueberry (Vaccinium ashei) by-products as affected by fermentation

Basic blueberry processing includes juice processing or winemaking. By-products obtained from the juice and wine industry can be a source of new value-added products such as phenolic antioxidant supplements or ingredients for food processing. The phenolic compositions of products and by-products (pomaces) depend mainly on processing techniques such as duration of skin contact, crushing, pressing, and others. The present study was to evaluate the effects of fermentation type on retention of total anthocyanins, total phenolics, and antioxidant activity of blueberry by-products. Total phenolics (TPH), total anthocyanins (ACY), antioxidant activities (β-carotene bleaching assay and ferric thiocyanate assay), and antiradical activity (DPPH radical-scavenging assay) of rabbiteye blueberry (Vaccinium ashei) by-products (juice, wine, and vinegar pomaces) were determined. The wine pomace (WP) had higher TPH, antioxidant activities and antiradical activity. Vinegar pomace (VP) had the lowest ACY, TPH, antiradical activity, and antioxidant activities. The results indicate that the antioxidant and antiradical activities of blueberry by-products were not significantly affected by the wine making process. Acetification significantly decreased TPH, ACY, antioxidant activities, and antiradical activity. However, VP still maintained an important phenolics concentration and antioxidant activity.