CONCENTRATION AND PURIFICATION OF EXTRACT OBTAINED FROM CASHEW PSEUDOFRUIT WASTES AND PRODUCTS WITH A HIGH CAROTENOID CONTENT

摘要

#$%^&*AU2018203088A120180524.pdf#####ABSTRACT The present invention discloses a process for the concentration and purification of carotenoids from waste fibers from whole cashew juice production under controlled conditions and without the use of any organic 5 solvent. The process involves a pre-macerating the cashew fibers with the use of cell-structure-disaggregating enzymes, which act on the fibrous tissue in combination with controlled pressing operations in successive aqueousextraction cycles. The concentration of the crude extract obtained by maceration/pressing takes place at room temperature with the use of 10 tangential-flow microfiltration membranes. The concentrated product is then processed using diafiltration techniques in order to purify it, thereby removing the majority of the undesirable components and promoting the microbial and biochemical degradation thereof. The final concentrate has a potential use as a coloring in foods for human consumption and in animal feed, being 15 applicable in the areas of ready-to-drink juices and beverages owing to its significant solubility in water.