Continuous extraction of phenolic compounds from pomegranate peel using high voltage electrical discharge

• Published in: Food chemistry Vol. 230; pp. 354 - 361
• Main Authors: Xi, Jun, He, Lang, Yan, Liang-gong
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01-09-2017
• Subjects: Antioxidants; Continuous extraction system; Electricity; Fruit - chemistry; High voltage electrical discharge; Phenolic compounds; Phenols - analysis; Phenols - chemistry; Plant Extracts - chemistry; Pomegranate peel; Punicaceae - chemistry; Response surface methodology; Continuous extraction system; Pomegranate peel; Response surface methodology; Phenolic compounds; High voltage electrical discharge
• ISSN: 0308-8146; 1873-7072
• DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2017.03.072

•A continuous HVED extraction system was designed for the first time.•Response surface methodology was used to optimize the process variables.•The optimal conditions were: 12mL/min, 3.1mm and 35mL/g.•The predicted yield of phenolic compounds was 199.83mg/g.•The experimental values were in close agreement with predicted values.
Pomegranate peel, a waste generated from fruit processing industry, is a potential source of phenolic compounds that are known for their anti-oxidative properties. In this study, a continuous high voltage electrical discharge (HVED) extraction system was for the first time designed and optimized for phenolic compounds from pomegranate peel. The optimal conditions for HVED were: flow rate of materials 12mL/min, electrodes gap distance 3.1mm (corresponding to 29kV/cm of electric field intensity) and liquid to solid ratio 35mL/g. Under these conditions, the experimental yield of phenolic compounds was 196.7±6.4mg/g, which closely agreed with the predicted value (199.83mg/g). Compared with the warm water maceration, HVED method possessed higher efficiency for the extraction of phenolic compounds. The results demonstrated that HVED technique could be a very effective method for continuous extraction of natural compounds.