Extraction of pentosan from corn cob

Abstract

Corn is an important food crop, but its production often generates a large amount of corn cobs as waste. However, corn cobs contain rich polysaccharides, among which xylan is particularly noteworthy due to its various biological activities and wide potential applications. To improve the utilization rate of corn cobs, xylan is extracted from corn cobs using water extraction, examining the effects of three factors: extraction temperature, extraction time, and liquid-to-solid ratio on the extraction yield of xylan. Through response surface methodology, the optimal extraction conditions are obtained. The structure of the extract is analyzed using SEM, FTIR, and UV-VIS characterization techniques.