From 'green' technologies to 'red' antioxidant compounds extraction of purple corn: a combined ultrasound-ultrafiltration-purification approach.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: A pilot scale process consisting of ultrasound-assisted extraction, ammonium sulfate precipitation, cross-flow ultrafiltration and AB-8 macroporous resins purification aiming to recover anthocyanins and zein from purple corn (PC) was optimized and scaled-up. The effects of five independent variables (ethanol concentration, liquid to solid ratio, ultrasound temperature, time and power) were discussed and the most influential factors were optimized. RESULTS: The highest total anthocyanin (0.45 ± 0.01 g kg-1 ) and zein (17.14 ± 1.73 g kg-1 ) contents from purple corn were obtained using an ultrasound power of 105 W, an extraction time of 90 min, an ethanol concentration of 74% and a liquid to solid ratio of 261, at 70 °C, and this was consistent with the predicted values (0.46 and 17.36 g kg-1 , for anthocyanin and zein, respectively). Subsequently, ammonium sulfate precipitation was used to isolate anthocyanins and zein. After cross-flow ultrafiltration, zein (6.30 g) was obtained with 80% purity. Anthocyanins were purified by AB-8 macroporous resins, resulting in 1.60 g of anthocyanins. High-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry analysis revealed eight different anthocyanins in purple corn extracts. CONCLUSION: From the results obtained in the present study, it can be concluded that the proposed extraction-separation-filtration-purification method applied under the optimal conditions could be scaled-up to recover anthocyanins and zein simultaneously. Moreover, under the selected conditions, no significant degradation of anthocyanins was observed. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry.