Diseño de un proceso industrial para la obtención de bebida fermentada kéfir de agua enriquecida con pitahaya

Abstract

It is evident that we maintain the production line par excellence of Ecuador as is the export of raw material without any added value; this has caused for years major economic problems such as financial sustainability in the agricultural sector, as well as increasing health problems in society due to misuse and excess of antibiotics .Therefore, the objective of the project "Design of an industrial process for obtaining fermented drink water kefir enriched with pitahaya" was to obtain a drink with a high value for health and for the enhancement of pitahaya in the agro-industrial sector. The methodology used focused on the physicochemical and microbiological characterization of the raw material. The main variables for the design of the industrial process as well as the engineering calculations for the equipment were identified. The technical validation was performed through the INEN 2395:2011 Standard in order to avoid contamination or damage to the final product. By means of this methodology, it was possible to obtain a beverage of great contribution to health due to its probiotic activity and contribution to the agroindustry using pitahaya, designed with each of the equipment involved in the process with its specifications. Finally, it is concluded that the agro-industrial sector and health go hand in hand; for this reason a nexus was created between them, taking advantage of the potentialities and the high added value that the pitahaya will have by being an essential part of the beverage, activating the circular economy and fair trade.