Author
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Luzio, Gary |
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Submitted to: Subtropical Technology Conference Proceedings
Publication Type: Abstract Only Publication Acceptance Date: 10/1/2008 Publication Date: 10/16/2008 Citation: Luzio, G.A. 2008. Accelerated extraction of pectin from orange citrus albedo using focused microwaves. Subtropical Technology Conference Proceedings. 59:28. Interpretive Summary: Technical Abstract: After removal of soluble sugars and other compounds by washing, citrus peel is largely composed of pectin, cellulose and hemicellulose. In order to utilize the greatest amount of citrus peel product, it would appear reasonable that one or all three of these polysaccharides be converted to a useful product. One of the components, pectin is relatively easy to modify using enzymes and has great utility in the food industry and other applications. Thus it appears reasonable to focus on the use of pectin for the maximum utilization of fruit peel for new products from peel, but first pectin must be extracted from the peel using heat and acid. Normally this process takes long extraction times using high concentrations of acids. It has been discovered that the extractions can be done very rapidly using high temperatures with little or no acid addition other than what is naturally occurring in the orange peel. Pectin was extracted from blood Moro orange in a closed vessel reactor heated with microwave irradiation. Time of heating was either 2 minutes at 110°C or 210 minutes at 75°C in pH range of 1.7 to 2.8. In addition, a run at 75 degrees Celsius and a pH 1.7 with resistive heating was performed to simulate industrial process conditions. A high recovery of pectin, as compared to the industrial conditions, was observed at 110°C and pH 2.8 with microwave heating while preserving the degree of esterification and molecular weight. This could allow for a more cost effective pectin extraction process which is also more environmentally friendly. |
