Blueberries are rich in polyphenols, anthocyanins, and proanthocyanidins; however, they are expensive. In contrast, strawberries have a lower cost and are rich in ellagitannins. Therefore, a strawberry–blueberry blend decoction could produce a low-cost beverage with a rich and diverse phytochemical profile. In this study, we developed three berry-based beverages: blend strawberry–blueberry (SBB), strawberry (SB), and blueberry (BB). The polyphenol profile of the beverages was characterized by UPLC-ESI-Q-ToF MS^E, an acceptability test was carried out with potential consumers, and a stability analysis was performed under commercial storage conditions (4, 25, and 34 °C). The SBB exhibited a good sensorial preference (score of 81.3) and showed high contents and a diverse composition of anthocyanins and proanthocyanidins, which were up to 3.0- and 1.2-fold higher compared to the SB, respectively. Regarding the storage stability, the SBB showed better retention of lightness (97.9%) and red color (66.7%) at the end of the storage under refrigerated conditions (4 °C) compared to the SB. Therefore, these results demonstrate that using blended berry fruits leads to the creation of a functional beverage that has higher nutraceutical potential than single-berry-based beverages.

The aim of this work was to characterize the physicochemical and techno-functional properties of the fibers and powder obtained from the leaves of the two pineapple cultivars, MD2 (MD) and Smooth Cayenne (SC), to investigate their potential as a food ingredient in the development of new food products. Proximal chemical analysis shows that all evaluated materials have a low moisture content between 8.61 and 9.70% and a fat content between 0.06 and 1.04%, while the protein content varies between 5.32 and 8.36% and the ash content is higher in the powders than in the fibers (7.37 to 7.16 and 5.62 to 5.41, respectively). In addition, the samples have a high content of carbohydrates such as cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin, pectin, gum, wax and dietary fiber, which were identified by X-ray diffraction. The samples are acidic with a pH around 4.8. The results show that the fibrous (F) and the powder (P) materials have a swelling water capacity (SWC) between 16.14 and 26.90 mL g⁻¹, an oil retention capacity (ORC) between 2.95 and 7.26 g g⁻¹, a water absorption index between 8.20 and 13.25 g g⁻¹ and a high and low water solubility index (WSI) between 0.040 and 0.060 g g⁻¹. On the other hand, the color is similar for the fibers (FMD–FSC) and slightly different for the powders (PMD–PSC). Scanning electron microscopy shows that the fibers have a micrometric thickness of 5 to 10 μm and the powders have a particle size of 5 to 50 μm. X-ray fluorescence shows that the ash powder contains important minerals for the human body, such as K, Ca, Cl, P, S, Mg, Si, and Mn. The carbohydrates have an influence on the techno-functional and pasting properties of the powder as well as on the hydrophilic properties, which are reflected in the high peak viscosity. This fact can confirm and improve the prospects for its use as an ingredient in the food industry, following a circular economy approach, since the industry considers it as waste without value.

Inking disorder is a peach quality defect in which fruits manifest a dark epidermis discoloration; this disorder reduces the commercial value of peach fruits. In red pigmented peach fruit, it has been proposed that inking is associated with mechanical damage and reactions involving metal ions (Fe, Cu, and Zn) and anthocyanins, but in yellow peach cultivars inking mechanism is unknown. The objective of the present investigation was to evaluate the effect of mechanical damage and contamination with Fe metal ions in the development of inking disorder in three yellow peach cultivars. The present study revealed that Fe₂(SO₄)₃ application increased total phenolic content and chlorogenic acid levels in all cultivars but did not induce inking symptoms in the absence of mechanical damage. In contrast, brushing treatments triggered inking development in ‘Colegio’ and ‘MG8’, allowing differentiation of cultivar susceptibility, whereas ‘229’ showed complete resistance. Mechanical damage also significantly increased phenolic compounds, as well as phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) and polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activities, with higher levels consistently observed in susceptible cultivars. Notably, the severity of inking increased when mechanical damage was combined with Fe(III) application. These results indicate that inking development requires both phenolic accumulation and their enzymatic oxidation. Fe(III) ions act as an enhancing factor by stimulating phenolic biosynthesis, thereby intensifying discoloration. The resistance observed in cv. ‘229’ is associated with lower phenolic synthesis and oxidative activity. This study provides new insights into the physiological mechanisms of inking in yellow peaches and offers practical implications for postharvest management and cultivar selection.