Anthocyanin‐rich fruit vinegar from Grewia and Cantaloupe fruit blends

Summary Grewia is a tropical berry rich in anthocyanins and antioxidants but highly perishable in nature. In this study, desirable composite blend of overripe Grewia (Phalsa) berries and cantaloupe was sought for conversion to acetic acid. Composition of raw macerate, and the alcoholic and acetic ferments was analysed for sugars, alcohol and acetic acid. The primary alcohol yield varied significantly (5.75–99.44%) with blend composition. Vinegar from select blend attained 4.98% acidity with 138.57 mg mL −1 of phenols and high anthocyanins retention (74.77%). Gompertz model was used to fit the growth curves of S . cerevisiae and A. aceti (R 2 > 0.92) during fermentation. Presence of ethyl acetate, iso‐pentyl alcohols explained pleasant sweet fruity aroma of resulting vinegar. Thus, high quality functional red fruit vinegar can be obtained to prevent spoilage and utilise the functional potential of this delicate and nutritious berry.