Optimization of Extraction Parameters and Characterization of Tunisian Date Extract: A Scientific Approach Toward Their Utilization

Abstract

The response surface methodology (RSM) was used in order to select the extraction conditions of extract from Kentichi date powder; a by-product of the date-processing process. Powder/solvent ratio, extraction temperature, and extraction time all had an impact on sugar yield, and these model factors have quadratic effects influencing sugar yield. Optimal extraction was obtained with 300 g/L powder/solvent ratio, 32.7 °C extraction temperature, and 2.1 h extraction time. Under these conditions, Kentichi date powder's (KDP) sugar yield was 77.1%, which was close to the predicted value of the model (80.50%). The results of Kentichi date powder extract (KDPE) showed that the total sugar content is 160.09 g/L. However, the protein content is 10.31 g/L with a majority of the essential amino acids (essentially glutamic acid (28.39 mg/L) and aspartic acid (9.65 mg/L)). The determination of antioxidant activity of KDPE showed a high activity (DPPH IC 50 = 4.8 mg/mL, ABTS IC 50 = 3 mg/mL, FRAP = 4.70 μmol AAE/mL and, TAA = 18.04 μmol Fe(II)/mL). The results show also that the freeze-drying technique has a lot of potential for producing powder from KDPE with many desirable properties. The findings indicate that KDPE with a high nutritional value could be used as a component for the formulation of functional foods. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12355-022-01223-2.

The Application of Mathematical Modeling Tools in Optimizing the Purification Process of the Substance Oligohexamethyleneguanidine Hydrocitrate

“…The development of a purification process for OHMG derivatives is a highly complicated process that takes into account numerous factors. It is optimal for the implementation of this stage to use the tools of mathematical modeling [6][7][8]. For this reason, the aim of the article is the development of the purification stage of the substance oligohexamethyleneguanidine hydrocitrate (OHMG-HC) using multivariate analysis of multicriteria optimization.…”