Transforming Apple Pomace into Functional Oligosaccharides via Microwave Optimisation

Area of Science:

• Agro-industrial Biorefinery
• Carbohydrate Chemistry
• Sustainable Process Development

Background:

• Apple pomace is a rich source of oligosaccharides, but their extraction is challenging.
• Efficient and sustainable methods are needed for valorizing this agro-industrial residue.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel biorefinery strategy for oligosaccharide extraction from apple pomace.
• To optimize microwave-assisted hydrolysis conditions for oligosaccharide yield and quality.
• To evaluate a biphasic system for selective oligosaccharide fractionation.

Main Methods:

• Ultrasound-assisted extraction pretreatment.
• Optimized microwave-assisted hydrolysis using response surface methodology.
• Application of a biphasic system for fractionation.

Main Results:

• Optimal microwave hydrolysis conditions: 20 min at 120 °C.
• Extracted oligosaccharides: molecular weight 191,071 Da, high galacturonyl and arabino content.
• Biphasic system yielded selective fractions rich in galactose and arabinose, with reduced polydispersity and degradation.

Conclusions:

• Optimized microwave-assisted hydrolysis is a promising sustainable strategy for apple pomace oligosaccharide valorization.
• A biphasic system enhances process selectivity and improves oligosaccharide fraction quality.