THE IMPACT OF ISOPROPYL ALCOHOL AND POTASSIUM CHLORIDE ON THE PRECIPITATION OF ENZYMATICALLY EXTRACTED CARRAGEENAN FROM Kappaphycus striatum

Abstract

Growing evidence points to enzymatic carrageenan manufacturing as an eco-friendly process. This study examines the effects of varying enzyme concentrations (between 0.1% and 0.5%) and altering the precipitation process by combining KCl salt with isopropyl alcohol (IPA) on the qualitative characteristics of carrageenan products. Carrageenan extraction is made easier by cellulase, which breaks down the cellulose component of the seaweed wall. The precipitation process's use of KCl has a major impact on the gel's viscosity, water content, ash content, and sulfate content. The findings show that, compared to IPA alone, the addition of KCl alters the gel strength and sulfate content. Gel strength and viscosity are also highly influenced by different enzyme concentrations, where larger enzyme concentrations result in lower values. The rapid visco analyzer demonstrates improved gel formation and higher final viscosity values (113 cP at 0.1% enzyme usage) with the addition of KCl salt. This study sheds light on optimizing enzymatic carrageenan production for enhanced product quality and efficiency.