Volatile Compounds of Lemon and Grapefruit IntegroPectin.

Antonino Scurria,Francesco Meneguzzo,Delia Francesca Chillura Martino,Lorenzo Albanese,Rosaria Ciriminna,Mario Pagliaro,Marzia Sciortino,Alessandro Presentato,Rosa Alduina,Claudia Lino,Domenico Nuzzo,Federica Zabini,Elena Piacenza,Giuseppe Avellone

doi:10.3390/molecules26010051

Abstract

An HS-SPME GC-MS analysis of the volatile compounds adsorbed at the outer surface of lemon and grapefruit pectins obtained via the hydrodynamic cavitation of industrial waste streams of lemon and grapefruit peels in water suggests important new findings en route to understanding the powerful and broad biological activity of these new pectic materials. In agreement with the ultralow degree of esterification of these pectins, the high amount of highly bioactive α-terpineol and terpinen-4-ol points to limonene (and linalool) decomposition catalyzed by residual citric acid in the citrus waste peel residue of the juice industrial production.

Highlights

Istituto per lo Studio dei Materiali Nanostrutturati, CNR, Via U
The gaschromatography-mass chromatography-mass spectrometry spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis of the volatile compounds released in the headspace of a closed vial upon their solid phase microextraction (SPME) using a thin polymer coating fixed to the solid surface of a fiber [36] enables the direct identification of the volatile compounds
The high amount of the highly bioactive terpenoids α-terpineol and terpinen-4-ol points to the conversion of limonene upon protonation and hydration, a process catalyzed by the citric acid present in the endocarp fraction of waste citrus peel and further accelerated under cavitation conditions

Summary

Introduction

Istituto per lo Studio dei Materiali Nanostrutturati, CNR, Via U. In agreement with the ultralow degree of esterification of these pectins, the high amount of highly bioactive α-terpineol and terpinen-4-ol points to limonene (and linalool) decomposition catalyzed by residual citric acid in the citrus waste peel residue of the juice industrial production. Dubbed “IntegroPectin”, citrus pectin extracted from the wet peel of the main citrus fruits residue of the juice production process using HC largely differs from the conventional citrus pectin extracted from dried citrus peel using acid in hot water. Orange IntegroPectin, for instance, has a low degree of esterification (17%) and contains plentiful amounts of co-extracted citrus flavonoids and terpenes [6]. Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations

Objectives

Methods

Conclusion