Application of high pressure technology to obtain bioproducts: assembly of a multi-purpose equipment and development of processes for barbatimão

Abstract

This project aims to develop a multi-purpose equipment to operate at high pressure in order to obtain products applicable to the pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and food industries. High pressure technology is emerging and widely used to obtain high-value products from natural sources. During the last decades, numerous researches have been carried out worldwide applying high-pressure technologies; and new applications are often proposed in the literature. The results have shown the viability of these technologies in the recovery and processing of active compounds through clean and environment-friendly methods. In this context, this project suggests the assembly of a multipurpose equipment for high-pressure processes, including the operations of extraction (supercritical fluids and pressurized liquids), separation (supercritical adsorption), impregnation and supercritical drying. In this way, a single unit will allow the study of different processes under high pressure, providing a better cost-benefit ratio associated with this technology. Precisely for this project, in addition to the assembly of the equipment, it is intended to apply high-pressure extraction techniques to obtain an extract rich in bioactive compounds from the bark of the barbatimão tree (Stryphnodendron adstringens (Mart.) Coville) and study the extract impregnation in solid materials. The processes will be evaluated in terms of extraction and impregnation yield, total phenolic and tannins content, and identification and quantification of target compounds by chromatography. Solid materials will be evaluated before and after the processing by X-ray diffraction, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. It is expected with the results of this project to obtain biologically safe products applicable in several formulations. (AU)