Abstract
Plant peels could be a potential source of novel pectinases for use in various industrial applications due to their broad substrate specificity with high stability under extreme conditions. Therefore, the extraction conditions of a novel pectinase enzyme from pitaya peel was optimized in this study. The effect of extraction variables, namely buffer to sample ratio (2:1 to 8:1, X1), extraction temperature (−15 to +25 °C, X2) and buffer pH (4.0 to 12.0, X3) on specific activity, temperature stability, storage stability and surfactant agent stability of pectinase from pitaya peel was investigated. The study demonstrated that the optimum conditions for the extraction of pectinase from pitaya sources could improve the enzymatic characteristics of the enzyme and protect its activity and stability during the extraction procedure. The optimum extraction conditions cause the pectinase to achieve high specific activity (15.31 U/mg), temperature stability (78%), storage stability (88%) and surfactant agent stability (83%). The most desirable conditions to achieve the highest activity and stability of pectinase enzyme from pitaya peel were the use of 5:1 buffer to sample ratio at 5 °C and pH 8.0.
Highlights
Pectic enzymes or pectinases alone account for about one quarter of the World’s food enzyme production and are among the most important industrial enzymes [1]
The present study indicated that the enzymatic properties of pectinase from pitaya peel were shown to be significantly (p < 0.05) affected by the levels of the main extraction variables
The results showed that the activity and stability of the pectinase were significantly influenced by changes of buffer to sample (B/S)
Summary
Pectic enzymes or pectinases alone account for about one quarter of the World’s food enzyme production and are among the most important industrial enzymes [1]. They are of great significance, with a wide range of applications in the fruit and beverage and textile processing industries, in the treatment of pectin wastewaters, degumming of plant fibers, pulp and papermaking, and for coffee and tea fermentation [2]. Most of the commercial production of pectinases is limited to some species of bacteria, yeast and fungi [3]. Pitaya or dragon fruit (Hylocereus polyrhizus) is among the important commercial tropical fruits in the World [5,6]
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