Carotenoids from persimmon juice processing.

Area of Science:

• Food Science
• Nutraceuticals
• Biotechnology

Background:

• Persimmon by-products from juice production are often underutilized.
• Bioactive compounds, such as carotenoids, possess significant health benefits.
• Valorization of food waste offers sustainable solutions for ingredient recovery.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the potential of persimmon by-products (A and B) for the recovery of bioactive carotenoids.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of different extraction solvents and combinations for carotenoid isolation.
• To assess the antioxidant activity of the extracted carotenoids.

Main Methods:

• Persimmon by-products (peels and pulp) were treated with pectinase enzyme.
• Carotenoids were extracted using ethanol, acetone, and solvent mixtures (ethanol/acetone, ethanol/acetone/hexane).
• High-Performance Liquid Chromatography with Diode-Array Detection (HPLC-DAD) was used for carotenoid identification and quantification.
• Total Carotenoid Content (TCC) and antioxidant activity were determined.

Main Results:

• Nine individual carotenoids were identified, including β-cryptoxanthin and β-carotene, which were major components.
• By-product B, after pectinase treatment, showed high potential for carotenoid recovery.
• Acetone extract from by-product B contained 49.2% β-cryptoxanthin and 13.2% β-carotene.
• The total carotenoid content significantly contributed to the antioxidant activity of the acetone extract.

Conclusions:

• Pectinase enzymatic treatment enhances carotenoid extraction from persimmon by-products.
• Acetone is an effective solvent for isolating rich carotenoid extracts from persimmon waste.
• These carotenoid-rich extracts hold potential as valuable nutraceutical ingredients.