Drying and Vinification of Grapes and Blueberries

Studies were conducted on the processing of Tempranillo grapes and Ventura blueberries, addressing the quality of the fruit during the drying and fermentation processes. In grape drying, it was analyzed how berry perforation affects drying kinetics. Perforated grapes dried faster and required less energy, while whole grapes showed higher concentration of phenolic compounds and antioxidants. In the case of blueberries, convective drying was performed to obtain juices enriched in phenolic compounds. The temperature of 50 °C was the most effective in the elimination of water and in the preservation of bioactive compounds.In the study of fermentation of blueberry and grape musts, various yeast strains were used, showing that the use of inoculums reduced fermentation time. The M05 Mead yeast proved to be the most appropriate, preserving color, phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity. Finally, the fermentation of dehydrated blueberry and grape musts was investigated, obtaining wines of higher sensory quality with the commercial yeast M05 Mead.