Design process to obtain antioxidant compounds from goldenberry (Physalis peruviana): Influence of pretreatment, extraction and concentration processes

Cerón, I. X1, Higuita, J.C.1 Cardona, C. A.1

1 Departamento de Producción y Sanidad Vegetal. Universidad del Tolima, Ibagué, Colombia

2 Departamento de Ingeniería Química, Universidad Nacional de Colombia sede Manizales, Manizales, Colombia

e-mail: ixcerons@ut.edu.co; jchiguitav@unal.edu.co; ccardonaal@unal.edu.co;

Abstract:

The goldenberry (Physalis peruviana) is an arboreal fruit cultivated in the tropical region. Due to its bittersweet flavor, medicinal and edible uses, its rapid growth and high productivity, the goldenberry fruit is one of the most promising exotic fruits in the market [1]. Due to the increasing demands to improve nutrition in the human diet, the development of processes to obtain antioxidant-rich extracts with food applications from natural sources have gained more attention.
Since the structure of a given material is a key factor that influences its extraction efficiency, the drying process of raw material is an alternative to modify the structure that could enhance the yields in the extraction process [2, 3]. Furthermore, the extraction process involves color loss, formation of brownish degradation products and insoluble compounds [2, 3]. Several extraction methods have been proposed to obtain antioxidant-rich extracts such as solid â?? liquid extraction using slightly acidified aqueous alcoholic solvents as methanol, ethanol or mixtures and supercritical fluids extraction using carbon dioxide (CO2) as solvent at high pressures[4, 5]. Vacuum distillation is the most conventional concentration procedure used to concentrate antioxidant extracts. The operational conditions in vacuum distillation such as oxygen quantity, temperature and time are lower than those utilized in atmospheric pressure distillation procedures thus generating advantages in the final quality of the product. Díaz-Reinoso [6], studied the performance of a sequence of two ultrafiltration membranes for the concentration of polyphenolic compounds with antioxidant activity from Castanea sativa leaves. The antioxidant properties of the concentrated streams are not lost during membrane processing. Moreover, the loss and degradation of polyphenolic compounds could be minimized when low temperatures are used in the concentration process.
In this research, a process design to obtain antioxidant-rich extracts from Physalis peruviana is presented. Simulation procedures based on experimental characterization were used to evaluate the yield of different technologies for pretreatment, extraction and concentration procedures using the
Aspen Plus software. Both the conventional and freeze drying technologies were evaluated as pretreatment methods whereas conventional solvent and supercritical fluids were used for the extraction procedure. Finally, the concentration stage was performed by using vacuum distillation or ultrafiltration processes. Eight possible process configurations with mass integration were evaluated with and without energetic integration in technical, economic and environmental terms. In order to compare the simulation results, the polyphenolic compounds from Physalis peruviana fruit were extracted by the different process configurations and the antioxidant activities of extracts were evaluated in order to compare the quality of the final product.
Compared to results, the freeze drying, the supercritical fluid and the ultrafiltration process configuration (Figure 1) is the most appropriate pathway to extract polyphenolic compounds from goldenberry fruits due to a 1.7 fold increase in the overall yield was observed compared to the conventional drying, conventional solvent extraction and vacuum distillation process configuration.

Figure 1. Simplified flowsheet of the process to obtain antioxidant rich-extracts

1: Freezer; 2,6,10: Pumps; 3: Freeze dryer; 4: Grinder; 5: Mix tank; 7: Heat exchanger, 8: Supercritical extraction tank; 9: Separation tank; 11: Membrane

The best configuration (the freeze drying, the supercritical fluid and the ultrafiltration process configuration) had high cooling requirements due to high needs have frozen in the freeze drying as pretreatment technology. However, the energetic integration generates a reduction in the energy requirements for process configuration. The total production of best configuration is mainly influence by the raw material cost following by capital cost due to the use of high-end technology. As expected, for the same process configurations the highest economic margins are obtained in scenarios when energetic integration was done. The environmental analysis was developed for the
eight scenarios established for economical analysis with and without energetic integration using EPAâ??s WAR. The obtained results were compared, revealing that all scenarios are generating emissions during their processing with high mitigation potential the process configurations that included the ultrafiltration technology. Accordingly, it shows how an inefficient use of energy and inappropriate waste management has an economical and environmental impact on process sustainability. Last results revealed that the best options from an environmental point of view is the scenario that include the technologies: freeze drying, the supercritical fluid and the ultrafiltration with energetic integration.
The experimental procedure is performed in the same operating conditions as the simulation. The extracts obtained after extraction and concentration were analyzed to determine the total polyphenolic compounds and antioxidant capacity. The polyphenolic extracts presented a yellow color indicating the possible presence of carotenoids. The largest yield of polyphenolic compounds was obtained when the freeze drying, the supercritical fluid and the ultrafiltration process configuration were carried out (110.99 ± 1.76 mg GAE 100 g-1 fw) while the smallest was obtained when the conventional drying, the conventional solvent extraction and vacuum distillation process configuration were performed (71,38 ± 1.92 mg GAE 100 g-1 fw). The preservation of both antioxidant activity and polyphenolic compounds in the concentration processes are important. But preserver the antioxidant activity is essential because it is the responsible to inhibits free radicals and reactions promoted by oxygen that cause degenerative diseases [7, 8]. In this sense, the TAA is a variable that help in the take a decisions at the moment to choose the technology to use. The obtained information through experiments and modelling is the basis for future design and scale up of processes at different production levels.
In light of the continuous search for natural food additives, the possibility of extracting antioxidants from goldenberry fruit as feedstock becomes a promising industrial strategy in order to generate additional added value products at the industrial scale.

Keywords: design processes, antioxidant activity, goldenberry fruit, polyphenolic compounds

References

1. J. Han and J. Rowell, "Chemical composition of fibers [Chaper 5]," in Paper and composites from agro-based resources, R. M. Rowell, et al., Eds., ed, 1997, pp. 83-134.
2. V. Bondet, et al., "Kinetics and mechanisms of antioxidant activity using the DPPHâ?¢ free radical method," LWT - Food Science and Technology, vol. 30, pp. 609-615, 1997.
3. G. Anitescu and L. L. Tavlarides, "Solubilities of solids in supercritical fluids--II.
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)+CO2/cosolvent," The Journal of Supercritical

Fluids, vol. 11, pp. 37-51, 1997.

4. X. Cerón, et al., "Design and analysis of antioxidant compounds from Andes Berry fruits (Rubus glaucus Benth) using an enhanced-fluidity liquid extraction process with CO2 and ethanol," The Journal of Supercritical Fluids, vol. 62, pp. 96-101, 2012.
5. H. Sovová, "Mathematical model for supercritical fluid extraction of natural products and extraction curve evaluation," The Journal of Supercritical Fluids, vol. 33, pp. 35-52, 2005.
6. B. Díaz-Reinoso, et al., "Membrane concentration of antioxidants from Castanea sativa leaves aqueous extracts," Chemical Engineering Journal, vol. 175, pp. 95-102, 2011.
7. V. Bondet, et al., "Kinetics and mechanisms of antioxidant activity using the DPPHâ?¢ free radical method," LWT - Food Science and Technology, vol. 30, pp. 609-615, 1997.
8. L. Franzini, et al., "Food selection based on high total antioxidant capacity improves endothelial function in a low cardiovascular risk population," Nutrition, Metabolism and Cardiovascular Diseases, vol. 22, pp. 50-57, 2012.