Purification of non-starch polysaccharides of banana puree and their potential use as functional ingredient: extraction of soluble sugars with natural deep eutectic solvents (NADES)

• Grant number: 16/15783-9
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Post-doctor
• Start date: October 27, 2016
• End date: October 26, 2017
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Food Science and Technology - Food Engineering
• Principal Investigator: Carmen Cecilia Tadini
• Grantee: Analía Verónica Gómez
• Supervisor: Atanu Biswas
• Host Institution: Escola Politécnica (EP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research (NCAUR), United States
• Associated to the scholarship: 13/25946-4 - Isolation of non-starch polysaccharides from banana (Mysore var.) and their potential use as a functional ingredient, BP.PD

Abstract

INTRODUCTION Non-starch polysaccharides (NSP) present in ripe bananas act as a dietary fiber on the human body, producing beneficial effects on gut health. It is important to notice that rejected bananas can be used as a raw material and their degree of maturation does not influence the quantity of the NSP. The most significant biochemical changes during ripening of banana correspond to starch hydrolysis and sugar accumulation. Large amounts of sugars in ripe banana are not desirable in a NSP isolated that will be used as a functional ingredient. Therefore, the challenge of this research is to isolate the NSP with the least quantity of soluble sugars, so it could be used as a functional ingredient. In this context, two extraction techniques were tested in our laboratory (Laboratório de Engenharia de Alimentos LEA-EPUSP): the conventional solid-liquid extraction (SLE) and the extraction assisted by ultrasound (UAE). In both techniques ethanol was used as a solvent and different extraction times, temperatures and solvent/raw material ratio were tested. The best results were obtained with UAE treatment at 65 ºC. The disadvantage of using large amounts of ethanol at high temperatures led to our research group to look for alternatives and novel extraction techniques that were safer, more rentable and environmental friendly than conventional methodologies. Nowadays green technology is one of the key opportunities in chemistry fields because it aims to preserve the environment. This technology facilitates the minimum use of non-hazardous media, new environmentally acceptable solubilization techniques, and developing new green solvents. In this context, ionic liquids (IL) and deep eutectic solvents (DES) have been paid great attention to replace current harsh organic solvents. The advantage of DES over IL is the benign and safe nature of the chemicals used. Thus, DES is perfect for food applications (In contrast, there has always been a concern about the safety and the potential toxicity of IL). For chemicals derived from natural materials, the DES is often called "natural DES" or NADES. Therefore, this project will assess different NADES solvents on the extraction of soluble sugars from ripe banana matrix, using these solvents in combination with other technologies such as Microwave-Assisted Extraction (MAE) and Ultrasound-Assisted Extraction (UAE). PURPOSE The purpose of the present research is the extraction of soluble sugars from banana puree with NADES solvents in combination with other technologies such as MAE and UAE, in order to find the optimum conditions and combinations to extract the major quantity of soluble sugars from banana puree and to obtain a purified NSP matrix that could be used as a functional ingredient. EXPECTED RESULTS The proposed period at Plant Polymer Research Unit of U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is important for the acquisition of theoretic and practical knowledge about soluble sugar extraction with the novel technology of NADES solvents. The Plant Polymer Research Laboratory is research basis for Dr. Atanu Biswas, who is responsible for the research project "Conversion of polysaccharides and other bio-based materials to high-value, commercial products". One of the objectives of this project is to obtain polysaccharides from different food matrices by using innovative technologies (NADES solvents, microwave, ultrasound and supercritical fluid extraction) in order to obtain bio-based polymer products with new or improved properties, which have lower cost, be friendly to the environment, and more acceptable by consumers. Dr. Atanu Biswas has the room and the facilities to receive students in the Plant Polymer Research Laboratory. The opportunity of Research Internships Abroad (BEPE) at Plant Polymer Research Unit of USDA will contribute to future projects in collaboration with the Department of Chemical Engineering and the Food Research Center (FoRC). (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

GOMEZ, ANALIA V.; BISWAS, ATANU; TADINI, CARMEN C.; FURTADO, ROSELAYNE F.; ALVES, CARLUCIO R.; CHENG, HUAI N.. Use of Natural Deep Eutectic Solvents for Polymerization and Polymer Reactions. Journal of the Brazilian Chemical Society, v. 30, n. 4, p. 717-726, APR 2019. (16/15783-9)

GOMEZ, ANALIA VERONICA; TADINI, CARMEN CECILIA; BISWAS, ATANU; BUTTRUM, MEGAN; KIM, SANGHOON; BODDU, VEERA M.; CHENG, H. N.. Microwave-assisted extraction of soluble sugars from banana puree with natural deep eutectic solvents (NADES). LWT-FOOD SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, v. 107, p. 79-88, JUN 2019. (16/15783-9, 13/07914-8, 13/25946-4)