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Commercial Success of ECLAIR Programme
AGRE-0058: Advanced and innovative technologies for the citrus fruit industry |
AGRE-0058: Advanced and innovative technologies for the citrus fruit industry
Science Background
Citrus farmers are faced with increased competition through global movement of various types of fruit, while consumers show preference for fresh-squeezed juice and EU legislation requires uniformity of size and appearance. Hence, considerable amounts of fruit do not reach the market place. Technology can be applied to fruit that will not reach the fresh fruit markets, to produce novel products including essences, fragrances and other derivatives of essential oils. These techniques include extraction processes acceptable in food use, such as supercritical extraction, as well as the application of enzymes (in peeling) and membranes (in clarification).
Objectives
One of the main objectives was to investigate the extraction of essential oils from the fruit and various other parts of citrus trees using supercritical carbon dioxide. Studies would identify experimental parameters for optimal extraction leading to design of suitable equipment. Other objectives included development of:
Significant changes and results since end of ECLAIR
Work continued under AIR as indicated below.
Results
At end of this ECLAIR project
This project, coordinated by ENEA TECAB-EMI (Italy), examined a number of aspects relating to the processing of citrus fruit, and other parts of the tree, for both direct consumption (juice, segments) and the production of flavours and fragrances. Extractions using supercritical carbon dioxide, which obtained essential oils from twigs, leaves, blossoms and flowers of mandarin, gave products with colours and fragrances that differed from those obtained by distillation. These extracts could be classified as a new essence.
The use of enzymes to treat peeled segments gave a product that had a flavour that was pleasant and natural in comparison to chemically peeled segments. Although resin processes proved satisfactory these, unlike in the USA, are still not recognized in the EU and, therefore, could not be adopted in the citrus industries of European Union countries. It was hoped that legislation would be revised so that Article 4 of Directive 93/77 included the recognition of adsorbent resins that have been shown to be chemically inert. The FDA has already recognized these as valid in treatment processes of citrus juices.
For effluent treatment, the process studied was satisfactory resulting in a significant reduction of pollution from the first phase of citrus process at fairly modest running costs. However, further work is required to produce a final effluent that complies with existing regulations for possible re-use in industry as process water. Further work was required to define the best parameters for a number of these activities, including optimization of wastewater treatment and enzyme technologies. The technology for resin treatments was ready to be applied in citrus industries, but EU legislation did not allow its use.
Current position
The research was continued, with the same coordinator, in AIR2-1335: Process and product innovation for the citrus industry. Tangential filtration and enzymatic treatment were used to obtain special clarified lemon juices for use as acidulants and as an alternative to citric acid (E 330) in a wide range of foods. Technology using resins to remove the bitter compound limonine were tested at the pilot scale. Anthocyanins were recovered by passing red juice through a resin for use as colorants in jams and carbonated beverages. Supercritical carbon dioxide extraction of citrus essential oils from part of the citrus tree gave new extracts with potential applications, particularly as a fragrance. This extraction method was also used to concentrated ten-fold the oxygenated compounds (linalol, decilic aldehyde, nera, geranial) in cold pressed essential oils. A bioreactor was constructed for the semi-solid fermentation of fresh citrus wastes for production of microbial biomass. As a result, protein enrichment of fresh orange peel was achieved using Trichoderma al, T. reesei and Phanerochaete chrysosporium. In other tests, proteolytic enzymes have been produced from a citrus pectin medium by Rhizopus nigricans, while valuable flavonoids such as naringin have been obtained from spent citrus peel.
Impact
Commercial
The results of this research have potential applications in fermentation, food and drink, nutritional products and feed.
Associated
The thematic network FAIR5-CT97-3464: DASNAF Network: developments and applications in supercritical fluids in agriculture and fisheries aims to discuss and widen existing knowledge on supercritical fluids (SCFs). Its objectives include promotion of the technology to researchers, industry and SMEs, assessment of immediate and potential applications, technology transfer, as well as identification of problems facing companies using this technology.
Contacts
AINIA
Author
ENEA, TECAB-EMI
© Copyright 2006 Policy Statements
Updated
by CPL Press:
03/07/2007
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