Another Revenue Stream

Another Revenue Stream. I’m Greg Martin with today’s Fruit Grower Report.

When you see a vineyard you see wine. But now USDA researchers are finding ways to turn the pulp, seed, and stem from crushed wine grapes into value added products. Yanyun Zhao of Oregon State University Extension explains.

ZHAO: Fortunately we were able to get a small grant NW Center for Small Fruit research . The whole point is how can we further increase the value added application. So we just really further expand all the applications possibilities for full utilization.

She explains efforts to convert pomace from crushed wine grapes into value added products.

ZHAO: Mainly after you crush the grapes; after you ferment it then you go to the filtration you get the liquid out of fermentation the rest of it is called wine pomace and has pulp, seeds and the stems. We know very well the high value in the pomace which means the phenonics, the entire oxygen in the compound has a benefit. Also the dietary fiber also value added can be used for food and other applications.

Zhao is researching such items as edible packaging, edible coatings and more out of the wine waste products.

That’s today’s Fruit Grower Report. I’m Greg Martin on the Ag Information Network.