The growing demand for sustainable, clean-label food ingredients has driven the search for alternative sources of functional biopolymers like pectin. This study explores fruit peel waste from Neolamarckia cadamba, an underutilized agro-resource, as a novel substrate for pectin extraction. The extraction process was optimized using Response Surface Methodology (RSM), and the predictive capability of the model was further enhanced through Artificial Neural Network (ANN) analysis. ANN outperformed RSM in all statistical metrics (R2, RMSE, MAE), better capturing non-linear process dynamics. Under optimal conditions (pH 2.05, 90 °C, 60 min), a maximum pectin yield of 15.89% (w/w) was achieved. Structural characterization using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Liquid Chromatography – Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS), and 1H Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (1H NMR) confirmed the presence of galacturonic acid-rich homogalacturonan. The extracted pectin was subsequently evaluated as a gelling agent in mixed fruit jam formulations at concentrations of 2%, 4%, and 6%, and its performance was compared with that of a commercial jam. The 4% formulation showed favourable texture – hardness, chewiness, and springiness, closely matching the commercial product. Nutritional analysis revealed lower sugar (40.64–42.65 g/100 g), higher protein (4.2–4.5 g/100 g), and enhanced mineral content in the experimental jams. This work highlights N. cadamba peel as a promising, sustainable pectin source and showcases the strength of RSM–ANN integration for optimizing biopolymer extraction.
The growing demand for sustainable energy solutions has intensified interest in Biofuels. Petroleum biofuel is non-toxic, eco-friendly, and biodegradable as compared to the diesel. Now a day’s biodiesel is produced by edible oil which comprises food verses oil problem, but it can be solved by using non-edible, using alkaline catalyst and methanol in transesterification method to reduce the FFA contents of the oil. This paper explores the feasibility of converting Onopordum acanthium L. seed oil into biofuel by using a homogenous catalyst (NaOH) 98.13% of high yield was obtained. Other parameters were also tested such as time, methanol to oil molar ratio, catalyst amount and temperature. The obtained biofuel was quantified by Nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR), Gas chromatography spectroscopy (GC-MS) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). The physio-chemical properties were also tested and compared with ASTM and EN standards. The research findings have indicated that Onopordum acanthium seed oil is a sustainable option to produce high-yield biodiesel.
Samina Mengal, Tahira Bibi, Shazia Irfan et al.· Aposta: Revista de Ciencias...· 0 citations
Sugarcane bagasse (SCB) represents an abundant lignocellulosic residue with significant potential for integrated biorefinery applications. In this study, an alkaline extraction process was optimized for lignin recovery from SCB using a Box–Behnken Design (BBD) to evaluate the effects of extraction temperature (70–110 °C), NaOH concentration (3–9%, w/v), solid-to-liquid ratio (1:10–1:50, g mL−1), and extraction time (30–90 min). Total phenolic content (TPC) and pure lignin content (PLC) were employed as response variables to identify optimal extraction conditions. Under the optimized parameters, a lignin yield of 17.7% and a TPC of 52.7 mg GAE g−1 were achieved. Structural and thermal characterization by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) confirmed the preservation of characteristic lignin functionalities and adequate thermal stability for downstream applications. To demonstrate its valorization potential, the recovered lignin was successfully incorporated as a partial substitute for petroleum-derived phenol in the formulation of a lignin-based resin, providing a proof of concept for its utilization in sustainable polymeric materials. In parallel, the cellulose-enriched residual solid (RS) obtained after lignin extraction was subjected to fermentation, yielding 10.3 g L−1 ethanol. This integrated strategy enabled the sequential production of lignin-derived materials and bioethanol from a single biomass feedstock, maximizing resource utilization while minimizing waste generation. The findings highlight the feasibility of coupling lignin recovery with biofuel production and support the development of SCB-based biorefineries for the generation of renewable chemicals, bio-based materials, and sustainable energy carriers.
Hind Elfahmy, Doha Elalami, A. Oulkhir et al.· Biomass· 0 citations
Avocado processing generates substantial agro-industrial residues with potential as sources of bioactive compounds. This study investigated defatted cake obtained from continuous-press oil extraction of Hass avocado pulp and peel as a feedstock for bioactive recovery. Microwave-assisted extraction using glycerol as a solvent was optimized through experimental design by varying glycerol concentration (40–90%), temperature (70–170 °C), and extraction time (7–23 min). Optimal conditions (170 °C, 70% glycerol, 7 min) produced significantly higher total phenolic content and antioxidant capacity than conventional extraction (p < 0.05). UPLC-HRMS/MS analysis enabled the putative identification of 55 compounds. Toxicity assessment using Galleria mellonella indicated low toxicity at 1033 mg GAE L–1. Sustainability evaluation using the Path2Green metric yielded a score of 0.595, demonstrating favorable environmental performance. These results highlight microwave-assisted glycerol-based extraction as an efficient and sustainable strategy for avocado byproduct valorization.
Luane Souza Silva Lage, Beatriz Pereira de Freitas, Carolline M. A. Lorentino et al.· ACS Food Science & Techn...· 0 citations
This study developed an integrated process combining ultrasound-assisted enzymatic extraction (UAEE) with purification for the efficient recovery of bioactive flavonoids from Rhododendron anthopogonoides Maxim. (RA). Extraction conditions were optimized via Plackett–Burman screening followed by response surface methodology (RSM). Optimal conditions (enzyme dosage 30 mg/g, liquid-to-solid ratio 30:1 mL/g, 70% ethanol, 70 °C, ultrasonic power 490 W, extraction time 40 min) produced a total flavonoid yield of 13.56%. RSM established a reliable quadratic model (R2 = 0.9800), with artificial neural network cross-validation further validating the robustness of the optimized parameters. Notably, UAEE substantially outperformed conventional ultrasound-assisted extraction. Purification using AB-8 resin raised flavonoid purity to 25.4 ± 0.48%. SEM and FT-IR analyses revealed effective cell wall disruption while maintaining flavonoid structural integrity. UPLC-Q-Orbitrap-HRMS identified 19 flavonoid compounds in the purified fraction. In vitro assays demonstrated that the purified flavonoids exhibited strong antioxidant activity, with IC50 values of 28 µg/mL (DPPH), 38 µg/mL (ABTS+), and 43 µg/mL (•OH), corresponding to scavenging rates of 98.4%, 98.1%, and 94.2% at 200 µg/mL, respectively. Furthermore, the purified flavonoids dose-dependently inhibited the release of NO, TNF-α, and IL-6 in LPS-induced macrophages at non-cytotoxic concentrations.
This study uniquely integrates extraction optimization, structural characterization, cytoprotection, molecular docking, and DFT analysis to valorize lemon juice pomace pectin within a circular bioeconomy framework, distinguishing it from previous work limited to peel pectin or crude extracts. The extraction process was carefully optimized to preserve the structural integrity of the polysaccharide, resulting in a high yield of galacturonic acid-rich pectin with moderate degrees of esterification. Structural analyses confirmed typical pectic features, including α-configured galacturonic acid residues as well as rhamnose, arabinose, glucose, mannose, xylose and galactose units. Therefore, PLP polysaccharides exhibited significant antioxidant activity, demonstrated by dose-dependent DPPH radical scavenging (79.5% at 10 mg/mL) and ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) of 1522.5 μmol Fe2+/L, comparable to other pomace-derived pectins. Moreover, toxicological evaluations on HEK and HCT cell lines revealed no cytotoxicity at functional concentrations and highlighted a pronounced cytoprotective effect against cadmium-induced oxidative stress. PLP significantly enhanced cell viability, reduced malondialdehyde (MDA) accumulation, and attenuated intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. Complementary in silico analyses supported these findings: molecular docking on the KEAP1 Kelch domain (PDB ID: 4L7B) showed that a galacturonic-acid tetramer engages the NRF2-binding pocket, while DFT calculations confirmed a strongly favorable carboxylate-bridged coordination of Cd2+ by pectin. Collectively, these findings position PLP as a safe and effective bioactive polysaccharide with promising potential for incorporation into functional foods, nutraceuticals, and antioxidant-enriched materials, while promoting the circular and sustainable valorization of agro-industrial by-products in line with "zero waste" principles.
Zeineb Mzoughi, Sarra Belkhiria, Sabri Messaoudi et al.· International Journal of Bio...· 0 citations
Pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) processing generates a peel fraction that dominates the residue stream of juice and arils production, and this residue has been targeted for polyphenol recovery, pectin extraction and conversion into carbonaceous adsorbents. Conversion of the same residue into nanocellulose has been proposed as a higher-value route, yet the evidence base supporting that proposition has not been examined critically. This review evaluates the strength, internal consistency and methodological quality of the literature linking pomegranate peel to cellulose nanocrystals, cellulose nanofibrils and bacterial nanocellulose, and to environmental applications in water treatment and pollutant capture. Studies were identified through structured searching of open scholarly databases and indexes, supplemented by backward and forward citation tracking, and were appraised for feedstock characterisation, process transparency, metrological adequacy and the strength of the inference drawn from reported performance data. Three findings emerge. First, the primary evidence in which pomegranate peel serves as the cellulose feedstock is small, geographically concentrated and dominated by packaging-oriented investigations; most publications that pair the words pomegranate and nanocellulose in fact use the peel as a source of polyphenolic extract added to nanocellulose obtained elsewhere, and this conflation has inflated the apparent size of the field. Second, the compositional heterogeneity of pomegranate peel, and in particular its high extractive and pectin content, imposes purification demands that are poorly reported and that plausibly explain divergent yields and crystallinity values across studies. Third, no published investigation appears to have tested pomegranate peel derived nanocellulose as an adsorbent, membrane or aerogel for pollutant removal, so environmental claims for this feedstock rest on extrapolation from other cellulose sources rather than on direct evidence. The field would benefit from mass-balanced processing studies, harmonised crystallinity and dimensional metrology, and adsorption experiments conducted in realistic water matrices before the environmental promise of this residue is asserted.
Zohra· Journal of Advances in Biolo...· 0 citations
