Obtention of dietary fibre enriched fractions from peach bagasse using ethanol pre-treatment and microwave drying

- Ethanol pre-treatment and microwave drying were used to obtain fractions (Fs) from peach bagasse.
- Response surface methodology allowed to optimize the process of obtention.
- The process produced Fs with high content of cell wall polysaccharides.
- Fs enriched in fibre showed good functional properties and phenolic presence.

A process involving ethanol pre-treatment and subsequent microwave drying was proposed to obtain fractions enriched in dietary fibre from peach bagasse Prunus persica L. The processing conditions that allow to obtain samples with optimal functional properties involved the use of 4.6 mL of ethanol (96 mL/100 mL) per gram of tissue in the extraction step performed at 20 °C for 15 min and a temperature of 55.0 °C for drying in a microwave equipment working at a maximum power of 450 W. In general, high values were observed for functional properties evaluated, fact that indicates the potential of the fractions for being used for technological as well as for nutritional purposes. Physicochemical and microstructural analysis were carried out for the product obtained with the optimal process conditions, observing that the concentration of cell wall material was 80 g/100 g dry fraction and the optimum fraction also contained phenolic compounds.