Research Description:

The Antioxidant Properties of Florida Grown Blueberries and Blueberry Wine

Twelve cultivars of local blueberries were picked and separated into green, turning and ripe.  Three of these cultivars were further separated into skin, pulp and seeds to additionally characterize the fruit.  Preliminary tests were run for time and temperature to maximally extract phenolics into solution while avoiding oxidation.  Three tests were performed on all 45 samples; total anthocyanins, Folin-Ciocalteau test for total soluble phenolics, and the oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) test.  Procedures had to be established for the manual use of the ORAC test with a fmax kinetic reader and other equipment available.  Statistical programs such as Jump are currently being used to correlate phenolics, including anthocyanins, to maturity and fraction of the fruit.  Comparisons between results from Florida blueberries and literature findings of the ORAC values of blueberries grown elsewhere in the United States may be highlighted.  Higher antioxidant properties are expected in Florida blueberries because of the longer and sunnier growing season.
The next stage of research currently in progress is the making of wine from another later-maturing, locally grown blueberry cultivar.  Two treatments were used in making the wine; hot pressing and cold fermentation on hull.  This study will be examining the changes in blueberry wine phenolics over time during the fermentation process.