Modelo preliminar de Revalorización bioeconómica del futo de Genipa americana (Huito), para la generación de colorantes alimentarios naturales diferenciados en la Amazonía Ecuatoriana

Abstract

Abstract: This research examined the technological innovation ecosystem focused on obtaining and preserving blue pigments of biological origin from *Genipa americana* L. The tools selected for this research were derived from data mining and analysis of 2,763 patent families; the patentometric study determined that the technical evolution of the extraction and stabilization of these blue pigments has reached a stage of industrial maturity, with a high concentration of assets held by large transnational corporations. Furthermore, a Freedom to Operate (FTO) assessment revealed an absence of patents in the national jurisdiction, indicating a likely scenario of legal freedom for local scaling. Regarding the protection architecture, it was found that there is no monopoly on the extraction and chemical stabilization techniques; the analysis established that patents focus on procedural pathways and commercial formulations. Finally, based on the results obtained during the data mining and analysis phase, a technical proposal was developed grounded in a "design-around" strategy featuring a dual-scalability model. This dual-scaling design aims to outline scenarios for future engineering applications that integrate native Ecuadorian elements to substitute biopolymers and protein hydrolysates, thereby meeting the relevant requirements.