Advisor(s)
Abstract(s)
Due to its coloration, the fig (Ficus carica L.) peel, a by-product of fruit processing and/or consumption, is a
potential source of anthocyanin compounds. In the present study different extraction techniques (heat, ultrasound,
and microwave) were compared aiming to recover the anthocyanin pigments and optimize its extraction
conditions. A response surface methodology tool with three factors and five levels for each factor was used
according to a circumscribed central composite design. The variables tested for the heat and microwave extraction
methods were time, temperature, and solvent proportion (ethanol/water ratio), meanwhile, for the
ultrasound method, the variables tested were the ultrasonic power, time, and solvent proportion. The anthocyanin
composition of the extract was determined by HPLC-DAD-ESI/MS, and the used criteria responses were: i)
quantification of cyanidin 3-rutinoside (C) in the extracted residue (mg C/g R) and in the dried peel (mg C/g P
dw), and the extraction yield of the obtained residue (g R/g P dw). Ultrasound extraction was the most effective
method, yielding 3.82 mg C/g R at the optimal global extraction conditions (21 min, 310 W, and 100% of
ethanol). Additionally, the solid-to-liquid ratio effect was studied at the optimal conditions, using a dose-response
format, in view of its plausible transference to industrial level. For the ultrasound method, an increased
non-linear relationship was observed for concentrations in the range 5 to 200 g/L, being the optimal solution
close to 150 g/L. In brief, the obtained results show the potential of fig peels as a source of anthocyanin pigments,
with potential uses in various industrial fields, such as food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic.
Description
Keywords
Ficus carica L. Heat/microwave/ultrasound assisted extraction Peel by-product, anthocyanin Response surface methodology
Pedagogical Context
Citation
Backes, Emanueli; Pereira, Carla; Barros, Lillian; Prieto, M. A.; Genena, Aziza Kamal; Barreiro, Maria Filomena; Ferreira, Isabel C.F.R. (2018). Recovery of bioactive anthocyanin pigments from Ficus carica L. peel by heat, microwave, and ultrasound based extraction techniques. Food Research International. ISSN 0963-9969. 113, p. 197-209