Enzyme-mediated extraction of colorants from by-products of agricultural processing wastes

Date

2016

Abstract

There is a growing preference for natural products as consumers become more conscious of their health. Many researches had been undertaken to meet the demand for natural additives as consumers shift from the use of the synthetic ones. The demand is great in the food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries. The wastes and by-products from agricultural production offer alternatives to sources of natural colorants. One biotechnological approach to extract these natural colors is the use of enzymes. Thus, this study aimed to develop an easy, effective and eco-friendly extraction method for colorant from various agricultural processing industries, such as yam peel, luyang dilaw meal, luyang dilaw tubers, chili pepper, annatto, dragon fruit peel and matured camote leaves, through enzyme-meditated process. In this investigation, enzymatic pre-treatment was applied to plant materials prior to ethanol extraction of colorants. The results so far showed that yields of plant pigments/colorants from the by-products tested can be enhanced by enzymatic action. The enzymatic pretreatment conditions and solvent extraction steps were optimized for each plant material tested. The colorants obtained possessed certain characteristics that may be tapped in various applications. With their properties determined and evaluated for toxicity, the pigments have potential use as additive in food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries as substitute for synthetic colorants.

Language

English

Document Type

Article

Pages /Collation

228 leaves

En – AGROVOC descriptors

FOOD COLOURANTS; WASTES; PIGMENTS; AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS; ENZYMES; ETHANOL; SOLVENT EXTRACTION; ANALYTICAL METHODS

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