Sustainable extraction of inulin from açaí seeds

The growing focus on sustainable practices in food industry has led to innovative approaches for utilizing by-products, especially from tropical fruits. Açaí (Euterpe oleracea Mart.) seeds, a primary residue from pulp extraction, hold potential as source of bioactive compounds and functional ingredients like inulin, a prebiotic fiber with applications in food and health products. This study explored optimal extraction conditions to obtain inulin from açaí seeds using an experimental design based on a two-level central composite rotatable design (CCRD). Seeds sourced from Raízes do Açaí (Para, Brazil) were dried at 60°C, ground, and subjected to eleven extraction trials using water as the solvent. Extraction conditions varied in temperature (53 to 87°C) and solid-to-solvent ratios (1:4.1 to 1:2.7, w/v) over thirty minutes of stirring. Extracts were quantified for inulin content via ion chromatography and compared to a commercial inulin standard curve. The response surface reveals that intermediate solid-to-solvent ratios at lower temperatures resulted in lower inulin yields. However, as temperature increases, the inulin yield rises regardless of the solid-to-solvent ratio. This suggests that higher temperatures enhance inulin solubility and extraction efficiency, overriding the influence of the solid-to-solvent ratio. In conclusion, this study confirms the feasibility of extracting high-quality inulin from açaí seeds under optimized conditions These results support the potential of açaí seeds as a sustainable source of inulin for food and nutraceutical applications, contributing to waste reduction.