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Electrospun hydrophobe nanofibrous membrane based on polysulfone/Triton x‐100: A novel vehicle to concentrate pomegranate juice
Author(s) -
Najafi Amin,
EmamDjomeh Zahra,
Askari Gholamreza,
Fathi Morteza
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
journal of food process engineering
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.507
H-Index - 45
eISSN - 1745-4530
pISSN - 0145-8876
DOI - 10.1111/jfpe.13493
Subject(s) - membrane , pulmonary surfactant , contact angle , ultimate tensile strength , chemistry , hydrophobe , polysulfone , scanning electron microscope , tear resistance , chemical engineering , materials science , chromatography , composite material , biochemistry , engineering
Aims The present work aimed to fabricate an electrospun hydrophobe nanofibrous membrane based on polysulfone (PSF) to concentrate pomegranate juice, and evaluate the effect of Triton x‐100 (TR‐100) on the physicochemical properties of the fabricated membrane. Methods Morphological properties, surface hydrophobicity, and mechanical performance of the nanofibrous membrane were evaluated, and then, its ability to concentrate pomegranate juice was tested. Results The viscosity of PSF and PSF/TR‐100 solutions was 1.006 and 0.715 Pa·s, respectively, indicating a positive effect of the surfactant on the quality of the fabricated fibers. Scanning electron microscopy exhibited the formation of smoother and finer fibers in the presence of TR‐100 surfactant. Contact angle for the PSF and PSF/TR‐100 nanofibrous membrane was 90° and 103°, respectively, showing their hydrophobic surface. The addition of TR‐100 led to an increase in the membrane's tensile strength. The optimal conditions to produce concentrated juice were osmotic solution concentration of 4 M and a temperature of 31.2°C. The anthocyanins and phenolic content, as well as the antioxidant activity of the concentrated juice, were not significantly different from the fresh sample. Conclusion The use of the developed membrane can be introduced as a suitable method to produce pomegranate juice with preserved qualitative attributes. Practical Applications Considering the various benefits of the fabricated membrane, it can be used to produce pomegranate juice with preserved qualitative properties.