METHOD FOR THE CONCENTRATION AND PURIFICATION OF THE EXTRACT OBTAINED FROM CASHEW PSEUDOFRUIT WASTE AND PRODUCT WITH A HIGH CAROTENOID CONTENT

摘要

The present invention discloses a method for the concentration and purification of carotenoids from waste fibres from true-cashew juice production, under controlled conditions and without the use of any organic solvent. The method involves pre-macerating the cashew fibres with the use of cell-structure-disaggregating enzymes that act on the fibrous tissue in combination with controlled pressing operations in successive aqueous-extraction cycles. The concentration of the unprocessed extract obtained by maceration/pressing takes place at ambient temperature with the use of tangential-flow microfiltration membranes. The concentrated product is then processed using diafiltration techniques in order to purify it, thereby removing the majority of the undesirable components and promoting the microbial and biochemical degradation thereof. The final concentrate has a potential use as a colouring in foods for human consumption and in animal feed, being applicable to the areas of ready-to-drink juices and beverages owing to its considerable solubility in water.