USING ACTIVE CARBONS TO DEODORIZE FLORENTINE WATER

Abstract

The presence of biologically active substances (BAS) in the composition of fir hydrolate allows the use of this waste from essential oil production in the manufacture of functional food products. However, the specific taste and aroma of the hydrolate limits its use without prior preparation in the production, in particular of beverages. The purpose of the work is to study the possibility of using carbon-containing sorbents to extract compounds that negatively affect the organoleptic properties of fir hydrolate without a significant change in biologically active substances. The object of study is fir hydrolat (florentine water), obtained in the process of fir oil production by steam distillation. Activated carbons of BAU-A and ABG grades acted as adsorbents. The effect of hydrolate treatment with sorbents (static and dynamic methods) was assessed by changing the composition of the hexane extract of the hydrolate by gas-liquid chromato-mass spectrometry (Agilent 6890N chromatograph), as well as organoleptically. The main components of the original hydrolate are borneol and bornyl acetate. When using the infusion method (static method), the taste and aroma of the hydrolate are optimized only after 3 and 8 hours of contact with BAU-A and ABG coals, respectively, at a dose of 10–12 g/100 cm3, however, the concentration of borneol in comparison with the initial value decreases by 4 times (coal BAU-A). Treatment of hydrolate by filtration (dynamic method) through a layer of adsorbent at a rate of 0.3–1.2 dm3/h significantly reduces the severity of organoleptic characteristics. At the same time, the use of coal of the ABG grade contributes to an increase in the amount of borneol by 15%, of the BAU-A grade by 50% in relation to the initial value. The observed changes are due both to the properties of the adsorbents used and to multiple processes (redox, catalytic) occurring on the surface of the coals. The results obtained allow us to speak about the fundamental possibility of using activated carbons for the treatment of fir hydrolates to extract compounds that worsen the taste and aroma characteristics, while maintaining the main biologically valuable components. The work needs to be continued in the direction of searching for new sorbents and optimizing processing conditions.