Browsing by Subject "Extraction"

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Acid-assisted extraction and hydrolysis of inulin from chicory roots to obtain fructose-enriched extracts
(2023) Stökle, Katrin; Jung, Dennis; Kruse, Andrea
Chicory (Cichorium intybus var. foliosum) roots are an agricultural residue and a low cost feedstock for the production of the platform chemical 5-Hxdroxymethylfurfural (HMF). In a first step, inulin and fructose have to be extracted from the roots. The resulting aqueous extract represents the starting material for the HMF production. In the reaction to HMF, inulin has to be hydrolyzed first to fructose. For this reason, two methods to increase the fructose content in these extracts before the reaction were investigated. This was conducted within the framework of integrating acid hydrolysis into a biorefinery process for HMF production. The first method (one-step process) was acid-assisted extraction to directly hydrolyze inulin in the course of the extraction process. Chicory roots were extracted at 60 and 80 °C at pH 2 and 4 using buffer solutions. The second approach (two-step process) was aqueous extraction at neutral pH followed by nitric acid hydrolysis of the extract at 60 and 80 °C under reduced pH. It was found that in the first approach, the pH of 2 led to a fivefold increase in the fructose content of the extract, resulting from inulin hydrolysis and corresponding to 56% of theoretical fructose yield. For the second approach, it was possible to achieve complete hydrolysis at pH below 2.5 and at 80 °C. Separating extraction and hydrolysis was found to be more suitable in terms of including this process step into a biorefinery concept for HMF production. It was possible to reduce the initial inulin content by 95%.
Transforming agricultural waste from mediterranean fruits into renewable materials and products with a circular and digital approach
(2025) Castagna, Antonella; Aboudia, Aouatif; Guendouz, Amine; Scieuzo, Carmen; Falabella, Patrizia; Matthes, Julia; Schmid, Markus; Drissner, David; Allais, Florent; Chadni, Morad; Cravotto, Christian; Senge, Julia; Krupitzer, Christian; Canesi, Ilaria; Spinelli, Daniele; Drira, Fadoua; Ben Hlima, Hajer; Abdelkafi, Slim; Konstantinou, Ioannis; Albanis, Triantafyllos; Yfanti, Paraskevi; Lekka, Marilena E.; Lazzeri, Andrea; Aliotta, Laura; Gigante, Vito; Coltelli, Maria-Beatrice; Hilliou, Loic
The Mediterranean area is one of the major global producers of agricultural food. However, along the entire supply chain—from farming to food distribution and consumption—food waste represents a significant fraction. Additionally, plant waste residues generated during the cultivation of specific fruits and vegetables must also be considered. This heterogeneous biomass is a valuable source of bioactive compounds and materials that can be transformed into high-performance functional products. By analyzing technical and scientific literature, this review identifies extraction, composite production, and bioconversion as the main strategies for valorizing agricultural by-products and waste. The advantages of these approaches as well as efficiency gains through digitalization are discussed, along with their potential applications in the Mediterranean region to support new research activities and bioeconomic initiatives. Moreover, the review highlights the challenges and disadvantages associated with waste valorization, providing a critical comparison of different studies to offer a comprehensive perspective on the topic. The objective of this review is to evaluate the potential of agricultural waste valorization, identifying effective strategies while also considering their limitations, to contribute to the development of sustainable and innovative solutions in Mediterranean bioeconomy.