Search Results (6)

The release of boron (B) into the environment as a result of anthropogenic activity modifies sustainable natural conditions, thus affecting ecosystems. To meet water quality regulations, commercial and natural boron adsorbents are available to reduce its concentrations in industrial effluents, with the former being not only more expensive but also less sustainable. In the publication, the biosorption parameters of carob kibbles (Ceratonia siliqua L.) were optimized in order to remove boron from aqueous solutions using batch experiments. The biosorbent used in the present research was agro-waste biomass provided by the local locust-beam gum industry. Boron removal by carob kibbles was favored at high initial pH values, and this capacity was found to be a function of boron initial concentration, biosorbent content in the solution, and particle size. The change in temperature did not affect the potential of biomass to remove boron. The highest boron removal efficiency (55.1%) was achieved under the following optimal conditions: 50 g/L biosorbent dose (Cs), with particle size range 0.025–0.106 mm, for the initial concentration (C₀) of boron in the solution of 100 mg/L, at an initial pH of 11.5, for 5 h at 25 °C. This investigation suggests that carob kibble agro-waste can be valorized as a biosorbent to remove boron from wastewater, and the boron-loaded residue may eventually be explored as a new boron-fertilizer. Full article

The main objective discussed in this research was to determine the structural characteristics of carob kibble water-soluble polysaccharide (KWSP), extracted from Ceratonia siliqua L., and to assess its in vitro antioxidant activities, as well as its effect on whipped cream. The results obtained through ¹³C, ¹H, and the hetero-nuclear single quantum coherence (HSQC) nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) analysis indicated that KWSP had the characteristic bands of polysaccharides. Thin layer chromatography (TLC) and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) suggested that KWSP is a hetero-polysaccharide composed of glucose and fructose, with an average molecular weight (Mw) amounting to 65 KDa. In addition, KWSP showed a good water holding capacity (WHC), a good oil holding capacity (OHC), and an emulsification stability, rated as 3.14 ± 0.05 g/g, 0.87 ± 0.02 g/g, and 71 ± 0.01%, respectively. The antioxidant activity of KWSP was investigated in vitro, demonstrating important DPPH and ABTS⋅+ radical scavenging activities and a good total antioxidant capacity. KWSP exhibited antibacterial activity against Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, and Salmonella enterica. On the other hand, the incorporation of KWSP in whipped cream was investigated, to enhance its antioxidant capacity and consequently to extend its expiration date. Moreover, KWSP reduces the formation of conjugated dienes and trienes in cream fat. Full article

Carob pulp has recently received great attention due to its considerable content of polyphenols having a wide range of health promoting effects. In this work, ultrasound assisted extraction was optimized sequentially using a screening Plackett–Burman design and non-standard central composite design coupled to response surface methodology and desirability function statistical tools, to find the best conditions for the extraction of nine polyphenols from carob pods. The gathered mathematical models showed that the highest significant factors influencing the extraction of all compounds were solid–solvent ratio, solvent concentration, and particle size, with the optimal results obtained at values of 0.2 g/mL, 40% ethanol, and 0.3 mm, respectively. Extraction temperature, time, sonication power, and frequency were set at 35 °C, 15 min, 100 W, and 37 kHz, respectively. These parameters help to reduce energy costs and to obtain the best possible extraction of polyphenols. Full article

Recent studies have highlighted the potential of utilizing carob kibbles as a bioactive-rich food ingredient associated with substantial health benefits. Roasting is a key process in enhancing the sensory characteristics of carob kibbles, also affecting the bioactive polyphenols and leading to the formation of Maillard reaction products (MRPs), including the polymeric melanoidins that are associated with a high antioxidant potential but remain unexplored in carob. In this work, we employed for the first time attenuated total reflectance-Fourier Transform Infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy to probe the dynamic chemical and structural changes upon the roasting of carob kibbles, along with the investigation of the in vitro antioxidant activity through the 2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity and the determination of the total polyphenolic, proanthocyanidin, gallic acid and cinnamic acid contents. Roasting significantly enhanced the in vitro antioxidant activity of the polyphenolic carob extracts, with different rates at distinct roasting temperatures. The ATR-FTIR analysis enabled the identification of the changes in the structural features of polyphenolic compounds that were related to the improved antioxidant activity upon roasting. Furthermore, the detection of characteristic signatures for the polymeric melanoidins in the infrared (IR) fingerprint region provided the first evidence for the formation and structural properties of these complex, diverse compounds in roasted carob kibbles. Full article

Aqueous extraction of carob kibbles is the fundamental step in the production of carob juice and carob molasses. Improving the theoretical yield in sugars during organic solvent-free aqueous extraction is of prime interest to the food industry. Collateral extraction of phenolics, however, must be monitored as it influences the sensory and functional profile of carob juice. We presently examined the impact of source material, kibble size, temperature, and duration on the efficiency of extracting sugars and phenolics aqueously by conventional heat-assisted (HAE) and ultrasound-assisted (UAE) methods. Source material was the most influential factor determining the concentration of phenolics extracted by either method. Source material also influenced the relative proportions of sucrose, glucose, and fructose, which may impact the perceived sweetness of the juice. Kibble size (medium size M = 9–13 mm; powder size P = 1–4 mm) was more influential with UAE than HAE for both sugars and phenolics but was rendered less influential with prolonged UAE duration. Increasing HAE temperature (from 25 °C to 75 °C) favored the extraction of phenolics over sugars; however, prolonging extraction at 25 °C improved sugar yield without excessive yield in phenolics. Disproportionate extraction of phenolics over sugars limits the use of heat-assisted extraction to improve sugar yield in carob juice production and may shift the product’s sensory profile toward astringency. Prolonged extraction at near ambient temperature can, however, improve sugar yield, keeping collateral extraction of phenolics low. Ultrasound agitation constitutes an effective means of extracting sugars from powder-size kibbles. Industrial application of both methodologies depends on the targeted functional and sensory properties of carob juice. Full article

The biostimulation potentials of carrot peel waste and carob kibbles for bioremediation of crude petroleum-oil polluted soil were investigated. Temperature, pH, moisture, total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH), and changes in microbial counts during 45 days were monitored when 4 mL of carrot peel waste or carob kibbles media were added to 200 g of crude oil polluted soil samples. Gas chromatography-flame ionization detection (GC-FID) was used to compare hydrocarbon present in the crude oil polluted soil and in pure fuel, composition of crude oil polluted soil was analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), and the TPH was measured by distillation using distiller mud. The results showed that, at the end of experiments, the concentration of TPH decreased in crude oil polluted soil containing carrot peel waste with a percentage of 27 ± 1.90% followed by crude oil polluted soil containing carob kibbles (34 ± 1.80%) and in the unamended control soil (36 ± 1.27%), respectively. The log [Colony Forming Unit (CFU)/g] of total heterotrophic bacteria in the crude oil polluted soil increased from 10.46 ± 0.91 to 13.26 ± 0.84 for carrot peel waste, from 11.01 ± 0.56 to 11.99 ± 0.77 for carob kibbles and from 8.18 ± 0.39 to 8.84 ± 0.84 for control, respectively. Such results demonstrated that carrot peel could be used to enhance activities of the microbial hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria during bioremediation of crude petroleum-oil polluted soil. Full article