Most apples grown in Canada today are consumed for fresh eating. In Nova Scotia there is a processing industry including apple pie production, mostly for export to the U.S., and a small apple juice industry. Researchers with the Tree Fruit Bio-Product (TFB) Research Program at Nova Scotia Agricultural College (NSAC) are searching for value-added and bio-product development opportunities to enhance the value of apples.

 

“Our objective of this project is to develop new technologies to use apples and other Atlantic grown fruits and their by-products for value-added product development,” explains Dr. Vasantha Rupasinghe, Project Lead. “There are several aspects to this research, all focused on developing new and value-added products and improving whole fruit utilization.”

 

 

Developing ways to utilize more of the whole fruit is a key priority. During apple juice and apple pie production in Nova Scotia, an estimated 10 million pounds of apple by-products, mainly skins, cores and pomace (residue left after apple juice has been removed), are sent to landfills each year.

 

“Until recently, these by-products weren’t perceived to have any value,” says Rupasinghe. “However, after reviewing the chemistry of these by-products, we discovered the skins, cores and pomace contain high levels of antioxidants and good dietary fiber. We are trying to develop new processing techniques to use these unique and valuable bio-resources as high dietary fiber food ingredients, or to extract out the health components for the nutraceutical industry.”

 

With the growing interest in functional foods and beverages, researchers are working on formulating an antioxidant rich fruit beverage. Apples could also be the next healthy, no-fat snack. “Research shows that many people consume the majority of their daily calories as snacks,” says Rupasinghe. Many snacks are unhealthy, containing high levels of salt and fat. “We plan to use apples as a raw material for developing new no-fat snacks, targeted to health conscious consumers looking for healthy alternatives.” Researchers and industry collaborators hope to improve the quality of existing apple juice and cider as well as introduce new functional beverages.

 

Recent market research indicates that apple juice consumption in Canada has been falling over the last 8 to 10 years. “A recently conducted survey showed that consumers believe apple juice is high in calories, is very acidic and that other juices are healthier with higher levels of antioxidants,” explains Rupasinghe. “Through chemical analysis, we want to confirm whether or not these concerns are true. Then we can develop new solutions to improve the quality of apple juice and cider, making it more desirable by consumers.”

 

Another area of interest is the potential for using apples and their by-products as ingredients for industrial chemicals.

 

This collaborative project, with recent funding of $1.9 million from the Atlantic Canada Opportunity Agency’s  (ACOA) Atlantic Innovation Fund, includes several commercial partners who have invested in the project and will potentially commercialize the new value-added manufacturing technologies developed. Project partners include: J.W. Mason and Sons, Noggins Corner Farm Ltd., Apple Valley Foods Ltd., The Cider House Company and the Nova Scotia Fruit Growers’ Association (NSFGA), and others such as Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC), other Universities and St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto, who is assisting with Clinical Trials. Training and skill development is a key component of the project, with at least 7 graduate students and 5 technologists to be trained in this area.

 

“One main priority is improved economic opportunities for rural communities in Canada,” says Rupasinghe. “This project intends to provide an economic boost to rural based industries, beginning with the Annapolis Valley area of Nova Scotia. The project company partners are smaller rural companies who rely on local production and a rural workforce, all who will benefit from the commercialization opportunities of the Tree Fruit Bio-Product Research Program.”