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Continuous process for enhanced release and recovery of pectic hydrocolloids and phenolics from citrus biomass
Author(s) -
Cameron Randall G,
Chau Hoa K,
Manthey John A
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
journal of chemical technology and biotechnology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.64
H-Index - 117
eISSN - 1097-4660
pISSN - 0268-2575
DOI - 10.1002/jctb.4854
Subject(s) - chemistry , food science , flavones , pulp and paper industry , flavanone , biomass (ecology) , valorisation , waste management , flavonoid , chromatography , organic chemistry , biology , agronomy , engineering , antioxidant
BACKGROUND During the 2012/2013 harvest season the Florida citrus juice industry produced 0.55 × 10 6 metric tons ( MT ) of dried citrus pellets from citrus processing waste ( CPW ). The citrus pellets were marketed as a low value animal feed which typically sold for $0.22 per kg or less. Yet, this biomass also contained nearly 110 000 MT of pectic hydrocolloids and 25 000 MT of flavonoids and related phenolics as potential value‐added co‐products. A continuous process was explored to release and recover these co‐products in a manner that enables their desired functionalities. RESULTS Injecting steam into the flow of citrus peel through a pipe at 150°C released pectic hydrocolloids and phenolic compounds, as well as several other classes of secondary metabolites from the waste biomass. The resulting steam‐exploded peel was washed with water and pectic hydrocolloids and several major classes of phenolic compounds were recovered in the wash water. Over two seasons an average of 72% of the pectic hydrocolloids were recovered. In addition, 41.1% of the polymethoxylated flavones, 11.4% of the flavanone glycosides, 85.2% of the limonoids and nearly 100% of hydroxycinnamates were recovered with the water wash. CONCLUSION The continuous steam treatment of citrus processing waste provides an enhanced, environmentally friendly method for release and recovery of valuable pectic hydrocolloids and phenolic compounds. Published 2015. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.