Palm oil is one of the main agricultural commodities in Indonesia. Beside CPO and PKO as the main downstream product, the palm oil industry also produces solid wastes such as shells, fibers, and palm oil empty fruit bunches (EFB). Palm oil EFBs are often dumped nearby the palm oil plantations and being left to be decomposed, but several literature studies indicated that palm oil EFB still contained oil residue rich in β - carotene as well as other lipids components dissolved on it. β - carotene is among the major products of the food industry which have been widely employed as nutrients, food colorants, and additives. It serves as antioxidants and so-called pro-vitamin A. The previous research used n-Hexane as a solvent in β - carotene extraction from fungal - fermented palm oil EFB, whereas n-Hexane has a moderate toxicity level and low solubility of β - carotene which is only 600 ppm. Quality and food safety aspects of β - carotene extract haven’t been reviewed or analyzed yet. This paper will be focused on the food safety analysis and improvement concept that can be applied in the extraction method and appropriate solvent selection to obtain high-quality extracts of food-grade β - carotene from fungal - fermented palm oil EFB. Toxicity level and the Hansen Solubility Parameter (HSP) simulation results are the main criteria for solvent selection, while thermal stability, operational cost, and practical aspects are being considered to choose a better extraction method. Based on the HSP simulation results and all criteria mentioned before, n-Hexane can be substituted with 3 recommended solvents; D-Limonene, Tetrahydrofuran (THF), or Tetrahydrofurfuryl Alcohol. According to the economic analysis, the maceration method using THF at room temperature is being preferred to the soxhletation method. Moreover, food safety analysis is being reviewed based on HACCP principles.

Granular Activated carbon (AC) is commonly used for cleaning water contaminated with Benzene and toluene (BT). Regeneration is needed to extend the lifetime of GAC. This study examines the effect of H2O2 concentration as an electron acceptor for GAC bioregeneration by the consortium of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Pseudomonas fluorescens, Aeromonas hydrophila, Bacillus coagulants, and Bacillus substilis in a fixed-bed bioreactor. Enrichment was carried out for adaptation to benzene and toluene. The enriched consortium was injected into a bioreactor column containing GAC saturated with benzene and toluene. The H2O2 concentration was varied 10 mg/l, 30 mg/l, 40 mg/l, and 50 mg/l. The contaminant mixture was continuously added with Lockhead and Chase (LC) and H2O2 at a flow rate of 18.2 ml/minute and 1 ml/minute, respectively. The outlet sample was analyzed using a Gas Chromatograph-Flame Ionization Detector (GC FID). The consortium regenerated the GAC by biodegradation of adsorbed benzene toluene. Initial inoculation of enrichment was 3.5 x 105 CFU/ml. The final stationary phase was at 120 hours with 1.37 x 1011 CFU/ml. The optimum biodegradation process was at a concentration of 30 mg/l H2O2 with a concentration of benzene and toluene outlet column II of 25 ppm and 40.5 ppm, respectively.