Abstract
ABSTRACTMost pigment in sunflower heads is water soluble, but is strongly associated with extractable pectin. Washing sunflower heads before pectin extraction is necessary to remove pigment and improve pectin quality. An undesirable side effect is loss of water‐soluble pectin. Response Surface Methodology (RSM) was applied to determine effects of variables and to optimize washing conditions for minimum pectin loss with maximum pigment removal. Benchscale washing experiments were carried out at 70‐80°C for 10‐30 min at water/solid ratios (v/w) of 20:1 to 40: 1, respectively. Both removal of water‐soluble pigments and loss of pectin from sunflower tissue increased with increasing temperature, washing time, and water/solid ratio. Optimum conditions were 74.8°C for 25 min at a 25:1 water/solid ratio. This resulted in removal of 56.47% of the pigment, but loss of 2.90% of the pectin, which is practicable for the sunflower pectin industry.
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