Effect of Process Parameters on Solute Centrifugal Extraction from Electropermeabilized Carrot Gratings

The solute aqueous centrifugal extraction from carrot gratings was investigated through the effect of some process parameters (centrifugal acceleration, solution temperature and liquid to solid ratio). The carrot gratings were treated by a pulsed electric field (PEF) (670 V cm−1 and 300 pulses of 100 μs) and then subjected to an aqueous centrifugal extraction (accelerations from 14 × g to 5434 × g) at temperatures in the range 18–35°C. The effect of carrot tissue mild preheating (30–50°C) before PEF was also investigated.The increase of centrifugal acceleration up to 150 × g enhances extraction kinetics. The solute concentration then reaches 96% after 25 min of extraction at room temperature or after 15 min of extraction at 35°C. However, any further increase in centrifugal acceleration does not provide more acceleration of extraction. A tissue preheating at 50°C allowed an easier electrical permea-bilisation of cell membranes at lower PEF intensity (300 V cm−1) and shorter PEF extent (30 pulses). A maximum solute yield is then obtained. The kinetics of centrifugal aqueous extraction was described by a single exponential model.