Temperature model for process impact non-uniformity in genipin recovery by high pressure processing

Area of Science:

• Food Science
• Biotechnology
• Chemical Engineering

Background:

• High pressure processing (HPP) is a non-thermal food preservation technique.
• Understanding temperature variations during HPP is crucial for process optimization.
• Genipap fruit is a source of valuable compounds like genipin.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a model for temperature non-uniformity during HPP of genipap fruit purees.
• To investigate the impact of HPP on polygalacturonase activity and genipin recovery.
• To improve the understanding of HPP reactor behavior for industrial scale-up.

Main Methods:

• Genipap fruit purees were subjected to HPP at varying pressures (130-530 MPa) and pectinase concentrations.
• Temperature changes during HPP were monitored and modeled using first-order kinetics.
• Genipin, protein concentration, and pH were measured to assess enzyme activity and product recovery.

Main Results:

• Temperature changes during the initial phase (0-4 min) of HPP were accurately described by first-order kinetics.
• Polygalacturonase activity showed complex behavior, with activation at 130 MPa, reversible inactivation at 330 MPa, and re-activation at 530 MPa.
• Incorporating protein content and pH data improved the model for temperature changes from 2 to 15 min.

Conclusions:

• The developed model provides insights into temperature non-uniformity during HPP, moving beyond uniformity assumptions.
• Accurate temperature modeling enhances the understanding of enzyme kinetics and genipin recovery under HPP.
• This research facilitates the industrial implementation of HPP for genipap fruit processing.