HEALTH-IMPROVING PRODUCTS MADE FROM FRUIT AND BERRY POWDERS AND THEIR APPLICATION IN PRACTICAL MEDICINE

The research was aimed to analyze the possibility of using fruit and berry powders to produce health-improving, therapeutic and prophylactic agents, and their application in practical medicine. The methodology included a comprehensive analysis and generalization of theavailable practical, scientific, and applied material and making corresponding conclusions and proposals. The following methods of scientific knowledge were used: the dialectical method, the systemic-structural method, the terminological method, the systemic-functional method, the historical method, the legal-dogmatic method, the method of generalization. The health-improving, therapeutic and prophylactic properties of fruit and berry powders (concentrates) produced according to modern, innovative, universal, zero waste technologies developed by the researchers of the King Danylo University in collaboration with the researchers of the Ivano-Frankivsk National Medical University and successfully implemented at the agricultural enterprise of health-improving products “Agrotechnologies” in Olesha territorial community of Ivano-Frankivsk region, Ukraine, were highlighted. Technologies allow for turning all types of fruit, berry and vegetable raw materials and mushrooms into high-quality semi-finished powders (concentrates) and a wide range of dry foods. Infrared drying process, which takes place at low temperatures, is aimed at removing water from the product, while completely preserving the structure of the plant cell, vitamins, and trace minerals. The main technological processes are as follows: inspecting, washing, cutting, if necessary, drying, crushing, sifting, fractionating, packing. Fruit, berry and vegetable raw materials and mushrooms are harvested in forestry enterprises of western Ukraine and cultivated in sufficient quantities on eco clean soils of the Dniester canyon. Powders (concentrates) obtained from eco clean raw materials are theversatile and effective raw material for manufacturing a wide range of health-improving, therapeutic and prophylacticnutritional products, medications, and biologically active additives. They can serve as effective fillers for bakery, pasta and confectionery products, soft drinks, ice-creams, yoghurts, jellies, food concentrates; they can be blended, when producing various beverages and condiments. Conclusions.The authors structured and summarized the therapeutic and prophylactic properties of fruit and berry powders (concentrates), provided examples of their application in practical medicine, as well as when manufacturing certain types of health-improving products.The advantage of fruit and berry and vegetable powders over other semi-finished products (extracts, syrups, purees, concentrated juices) and raw materials is that they are well preserved, easy to transport, contain more nutrients per unit weight. The obtained results can be used by food companies, research and manufacturing research laboratories for developing new formulations for products of higher biological value and organizing their production, as well ascreating new highly effective medicines and food additives.