Betanin: A Bioeconomy Insight into a Valued Betacyanin

Abstract

Sourced so far mostly from beet root juice, betanin is a red-violet natural colorant increasingly used by the food, beverage and nutraceutical industries. We provide an updated bioeconomy perspective into a valued betacyanin whose supply and applications, we argue in this study, will rapidly expand.

Superior Antibacterial Activity of Integral Lemon Pectin Extracted via Hydrodynamic Cavitation

“…We now report that lemon IntegroPectin shows also significant antimicrobial activity against S. aureus , considerably higher than commercial citrus pectin obtained via hydrolysis with mineral acids of dried lemon peel, followed by prolonged separation and purification of the inevitably degraded pectic polymer …”

Lemon Essential Oil of Variable Composition by Changing the Conditions of the Extraction from Lemon Peel via Microwave Hydrodiffusion and Gravity

“…In this context in which numerous other green processing techniques are rapidly emerging for the extraction of valued products from food residues, we have recently reported an eco‐friendly process based on microwave hydrodiffusion and gravity (MHG) for the simultaneous extraction of high‐quality EOs and pectin from lemon, orange and grapefruit peel . Pectin is the most valued natural hydrocolloid, and its growing demand at fast rate in the course of the last decade has caused availability problems and increased price similar to what happened with citrus EOs . Compared to conventional methods such as cold pressing and hydrodistillation, MHGnot only affords complete extraction of the whole EO bouquet, but it also broadens the extraction possibilities.…”

The Case for a Lemon Bioeconomy

“…Lemon's peel is the main source of pectin since several decades; a natural hydrocolloid in high demand from the food, beverage, pharmaceutical, and nutraceutical industries. [ 37 ] Production of pectin based on multi‐step acidic hydrolysis in hot water of lemon peels previously dried at lemon‐processing plants consuming large amounts of fossil fuel epitomizes the chemical industry of the 20th century. [ 37,8 ]…”