Developing an effective means to reduce 5-hydroxymethyl-2-furfural from caramel colour

Area of Science:

• Food Chemistry
• Extraction Technology
• Process Optimization

Background:

• Caramel color is widely used in food products.
• 5-hydroxymethyl-2-furfural (HMF) is a compound found in caramel color that may have health implications.
• Efficient methods are needed to reduce HMF levels in caramel color.

Purpose of the Study:

• To optimize supercritical carbon dioxide fluid extraction for 5-hydroxymethyl-2-furfural removal from caramel color.
• To determine the optimal extraction parameters for maximizing HMF removal efficiency.

Main Methods:

• Supercritical carbon dioxide fluid extraction was employed.
• Response surface methodology with a quadratic polynomial model was used for optimization.
• Key variables investigated included extraction pressure, time, temperature, and ethanol concentration.

Main Results:

• Optimal conditions for HMF extraction were identified as 21.65 MPa pressure, 46.7 min time, 35°C temperature, and 70% ethanol concentration.
• The predicted HMF extraction ratio was 87.42%.
• Experimental validation achieved an HMF extraction ratio of 86.98%, closely matching the model's prediction.

Conclusions:

• Supercritical carbon dioxide fluid extraction is an effective technique for reducing HMF in caramel color.
• This method contributes to improving food safety and developing healthier food ingredients.
• The optimized process offers a viable solution for the food industry.