Reviewing twenty years of patents on ultrasonic-assisted pectin extraction from food and food waste

Abstract

A growing number of alternative agro-industrial waste sources are being considered as possible sources of pectin because of the growing market demand. Pectin's multifunctionality stems from the nature of its molecule, which varies in its chemical structures, physicochemical characteristics, and possible uses based on the extraction methods and sources used. Green methods utilizing microwaves and ultrasound are becoming more popular, in addition to the traditional extraction of pectin, which relies on the use of acids and/or chelators. As a result, this review focuses on patents related to the extraction of pectin from food and food waste using ultrasound assisted technologies. The following patent databases were searched using International Patent Classification (IPC) codes and relevant keywords: PatFT-AppFT, Espace Patent Search, Information Retrieval System, Eurasian Patent Office Search, and Patentscope. Based on the analysis findings, which cover the years 2003 to 2023, 54 pertinent documents—the majority of which were issued in China—were chosen and categorized into multiple groups based on their objectives, methods for extraction intensification, and raw materials. According to the data, 2017 had the greatest number of patent registrations in the industry.