As part of the project, farmers and micro-entrepreneurs will equip their farms with a vinegar production line. The research will concern the assessment and adaptation of environmental conditions to the hygiene production requirements of an innovative product - fruit vinegar. Microbiological and physicochemical tests of the raw material (juice) will be carried out, followed by qualitive tests of yeast strains used in fermentation. Conducting fermentation stages and qualitative tests will allow the verification of technological conditions and will allow the development of the process with the highest efficiency.
Thanks to the use of technology based on selected microorganisms, a new product with repeatable quality characteristics (controlled fermentation processes) will be created for each of the farmers. The product will have potential pro-health features. It will not contain chemical preservatives, only natural metabolites of microorganisms. It will be characterized by high quality and nutritional value, safety and repeatability of sensory, microbiological and physicochemical features. will not be a product manufactured on an industrial scale, using ready-made, commercially available industrial cultures of microorganisms and high-performance technological lines. On the other hand, it will not be a product that is produced during spontaneous, "wild" small-scale fermentation, usually at home. At the same time, it should be emphasized that fruit vinegars produced in different farms will be different due to the use of different raw materials and different microbiota. Low-cost technology, dedicated to individual farmers and small processors, may in the future turn into organic production. The benefit of the implemented technology and the resulting natural product for a farm will be its diversification through the possibility of expanding the product range. As a result, fruit vinegars obtained in the technological process will fall into the category of fermented, minimally processed and functional food, and will also constitute an alternative, innovative nutritional offer for the consumer in comparison with commercially available vinegars. The innovative technology developed will contribute to increasing the use of local fruit juices.
