Approche multi technologique pour l’amélioration de la qualité et la prolongation de la durée de conservation de bleuets frais enrobés de chocolat

Multi- technological approach to improving the quality and shelflife of chocolate coated blueberries Chocolaterie des Pères Trappistes manufactures and sells various chocolate products. One of its flagship products, chocolate-coated blueberries, is unique in its use of unprocessed fresh blueberries. Fresh blueberries are more fragile than the dried blueberries used by the competition therefore the shelf-life of the product is limited. Several factors may contribute to the alteration of the product: microbial growth, excess ripening caused by enzymatic activity and migration of the moisture from the fruit to the coating. The company would like to increase the shelf life of the product in order to expand its market and ensure its growth. Increasing from the current 14 day shelf-life to 21 days of shelf-life would allow the company to reach the two main basins of consumers closest to Quebec: Ontario and the United States, with, as a result a doubling of sales volumes within three years. Lengthening the shelf life to this extent for such a fragile product presents considerable hurdles. Therefore, the company has reached out to Cintech who, given their expertise in the development of products and shelf-life extension technologies, can provide the support to meet this challenge. Cintech proposes a multi-technological approach whereby pulsed light, packaging and process modifications will be validated to develop the treatment (or combination of treatments) which will improve the quality and increase the shelf life of the product, with the primary concern being the preservation of it’s authenticity.