Objectives:
The overarching goal of the proposal is to develop a comprehensive technological solution for zero-waste deep and sustainable processing of dragon fruit (Hylocereus), simultaneously creating multiple export-quality products for demanding markets (Europe, Japan, the USA…), suitable for Micro, Small, and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSME) in Vietnam.
Specific objectives include:
– Developing and optimizing the processing procedures for all parts of the dragon fruit to yield various products (03 products from the fruit pulp and 03 products from the fruit peel)
– Developing and optimizing wastewater treatment process with a minimum of 80% reusability.
– Designing industrial-scale equipment systems to implement the above procedures.
– Developing an on-site and remote SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) system for a dragon fruit processing line using IoT technology including:
+ Module for monitoring and control of dragon fruit processing line;
+ Module for optimisation of operational scheduling of shared equipment units in the production line;
+ Module for real-time data collection, calculation and optimisation of carbon footprint of processed products from dragon fruit.
– Developing a MSME-friendly Technology Transfer Package to facilitate the launching of the developed technological solution.
Activities:
Working package 1 (WP1) Develop deep processing procedures for dragon fruit
Working package 2 (WP2) Research on evaluation of the biodegradation process of newly created leather alternatives
Working package 3 (WP3) Research on scaling up the dragon fruit deep processing process to industrial production scale tailored-made forsuitable for Micro, Small, and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSME) in Vietnam
Working package 4 (WP4) Trial Production for deep processing of dragon fruit at Pilot scale creates 6 products: concentrated dragon fruit juice (I.1); natural dragon fruit flavored mineral water (I.2); Betacyanin-rich food colorant from dragon fruit peel (II.1); dietary rich powder from dragon fruit peel (II.2); Leather alternatives from dragon fruit peel (II.3)
Working package 5 (WP5) Developing the Carbon Footprint Monitoring (CFM) module of the SCADA monitoring and control system based on operating data of the equipment system to collect data, calculate and minimize the carbon footprint of products processed from dragon fruit in real time
Working package 6 (WP6) Finalizing the technological solution for zero-waste & deep processing dragon fruit on an industrial scale
Working package 7 (WP7) Develop a MSME-friendly Technology Transfer Package to facilitate the launching of the developed technological solution.
Impact:
Impact on Science and Technology Development: The implementation of the project will significantly contribute to the level of post-harvest technology development in Vietnam. It establishes an important foundation for developing waste-free processing technologies for other types of fruits and vegetables. Additionally, it develops synthetic material technology from fruit and vegetable processing waste.
Impact on Socio-Economic and Agricultural Development: The project provides effective tools to create added value for dragon fruit, contributing to stable livelihoods for dragon fruit farmers nationwide.
Environmental Protection Impact: The project creates waste-free processing methods, enhancing production efficiency without generating waste or wastewater. It promotes economically efficient activities while maintaining a clean environment.
The impact of the project will be felt in the short, medium, and long term. The following are the project results which will be realized upon completion:
– Short-Term (Completion – 6 months)
Within 6 months after the end of the project, the technology transfer service package can be deployed to interested businesses in the process of new product development and market research. Businesses using service packages do not need to spend too much money but can still conduct trial production runs to create products to offer to many different markets. Help businesses make the right investment decisions
– Medium-Term (6 months – 2 years)
The results of the project can be applied to build dragon fruit processing systems in different areas in Vietnam.
– Long-Term (2 years & Onward)
After being piloted, the model can be replicated nationwide and abroad, applied not only to dragon fruit processing.
