Obtención de pectina a partir de la hoja de sábila (Aloe Barbadensis Miller) por el método de hidrólisis ácida

Abstract

The objective of the present research was to obtain pectin from the aloe leaf (Aloe barbadensis miller) by the acid hydrolysis method, for which the extraction process was carried out in the Organic Chemistry laboratory at Escuela Superior Politécnica de Chimborazo through several stages of the process, starting with the pretreatment of the raw material with the enzymatic inactivation, followed by acid hydrolysis where a 3k factorial design was used, the same one that allowed identifying the most important variables from this process: pH and hydrolysis temperature, thus finding the best extraction conditions: pH 1.75 at a temperature 90 degrees Celsius for a period of 60 minutes; with these conditions, a maximum yield of 4.36% was obtained. For the precipitation of the pectin, 96° ethanol was used with a 40% ratio for the hydrolysis liquid and the drying was carried out at a temperature of 45 degrees Celsius. With the data obtained from the experimental part, the sizing of the equipment was carried out for a production of 9.68 kg of pectin, using 222 kg of aloe leaf as food, a financial study was carried out where the following values were obtained: IRR 94% and NPV $684,276.0. To validate the design of the process, the characterization of the extracted pectin was carried out, obtaining the following values: Moisture 1.49%, ashes 7.37%, galacturonic acid 35.07%, methoxyls 6.95%, esterification 54.56%, mesophiles, molds and yeasts <10 CFU/g. These values were compared with the ranges established by the International Association of Pectin Producers for pectin purity, the same ones that are within the ranges and therefore the obtained pectin is considered acceptable. Activated carbon filtration of liquid pectin is recommended before adding alcohol during precipitation in order to purify and improve the color of pectin.