The use of membrane filtration process for pumpkin juice fractionation

Abstract

Nowadays is the tendency to research bioactive compounds form various plants and include their fractions to food products. Pumpkin is one of the well-known edible plants and has enough medicinal properties due to the presence of unique natural valuable materials. In addition pumpkin is a rich source of functional food components like vitamins, minerals and dietary fibers. One of the most valuable bioactive compounds are carotenoids. The pumpkin is rich in carotenoids that have great nutritional and health protective function. The present study describes concentration of several fractions from pumpkin juice using membrane filtration. Membrane filtration is a powerfull tool for clarification, purification and concentration of various solutions (e.g., juices, extracts, whey) and separation of valuable compounds from by-products of food industry and agriculture. Nowadays, these by-products are considered as a perspective source of high-added value nutrient compounds (proteins, polyphenols, fibers, etc.) Before the ultrafiltration pumpkin juices were prepared using centrifugation and tradicional filtration. The carotenoids are efficient singlet oxygen quenchers and have function as chain breaking antioxidants, protecting cells and other body components from free radical attack. Therefore, carotenoids are important to human diet due to their antioxidant activity. After ultrafiltration were obtained retentate with concentrate fraction of carotenoids and permeate with other useful compouds, such as polyphenols. The fraction of carotenoids might be use in industry as natural colouring agent.