Sustainable valorization of almond and peanut plant-based milk cakes: The use of terpenoid mixtures as ready-to-use solvents to enhance supercritical CO₂ extraction

Author(s):Show less -

Martins Strieder, Monique ; Mendiola, Jose ; Cokdinleyen, Melis ; Valdes, Alberto ; Bragagnolo, Felipe Sanchez ; Balbinot Filho, Clovis A. ; Lanza, Marcelo ; Salvador Ferreira, Sandra Regina ; Cifuentes, Alejandro ; Rostagno, Mauricio Ariel ; Ibanez, Elena

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: Food Chemistry; v. 479, p. 10-pg., 2025-07-01.

Abstract

The solid cake from plant-based milk production, rich in lipids and proteins, can be repurposed to recover valuable fractions suitable for food, cosmetics, and pharmaceutical applications. This innovative study explored terpenoid-based solvents as modifiers of supercritical CO2 extractions to obtain ready-to-use extracts rich in fatty acids, bioactive compounds, and a protein concentrate derived from almond and peanut biorefinery. The natural mixtures of 1:1 menthol:1,8-cineole (ME:EU) and 1:2 camphor:1,8-cineole (CA:EU) used at concentrations of 7.5 and 15 % increased bioactive compounds and lipids yield, outperforming other extraction methods. The phase transition of the system CO2 and ME:EU shows a homogeneous liquid phase, contributing to solvation power and extraction yield. The ME:EU and CA:EU extracts presented low cytotoxicity to human kidney HK-2 cells, showing potential for ready-to-use purposes. The extraction method had little effect on the functional properties of the proteins. Moreover, the continued supercritical CO2 extraction allowed solvent remotion and reuse. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 21/12264-9 - A techno-economic evaluation of emerging technologies and green solvents coupling to the two-dimensional system of extraction, separation and analysis to obtain phenolic compounds from waste of the coffee and plant-based beverages industry
• Grantee: Monique Martins Strieder
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• FAPESP's process: 18/14582-5 - Development of a two-dimensional extraction, separation and analysis system for evaluating the bioactivity of phytochemicals
• Grantee: Maurício Ariel Rostagno
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Young Investigators Grants - Phase 2
• FAPESP's process: 22/10469-5 - Application of in silico tools for the extraction of bioactive compounds from agro by-products by gas-expanded liquids and green switchable solvents
• Grantee: Felipe Sanchez Bragagnolo
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• FAPESP's process: 23/12621-1 - Enhanced recovery of high-value compounds from agricultural by-products: green methods using predictive computational models and intensified extraction techniques
• Grantee: Felipe Sanchez Bragagnolo
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Post-doctor
• FAPESP's process: 19/13496-0 - Multi user equipment approved in grant 2018/14582-5: ultra-high pressure liquid chromatography system (UHPLC), composed by a quaternary pump, autoinjector, oven with selection valve and detector (PDA)
• Grantee: Maurício Ariel Rostagno
• Support Opportunities: Multi-user Equipment Program
• FAPESP's process: 23/05722-6 - Biorefinery of the vegetable almond and peanut-based milk processes: study of technologies and alternative solvents to obtain bioactive compounds from their solid residues
• Grantee: Monique Martins Strieder
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Post-doctor