Aqueous two‐phase anthocyanins partitioning from açai – laboratory scale‐up

Abstract

SummaryAçai, a fruit typical of Amazonia in Brazil, is consumed due to beneficial health effects. Aqueous two‐phase systems (ATPS) based on ethanol (28% w/w) and ammonium sulfate (17.5% w/w) were employed in the partitioning of anthocyanins from açai. Experiments, applying 50 mL equilibrium cells and a 1‐L glass vessel reactor, evaluated anthocyanin partition feasibility on a laboratory scale‐up. The anthocyanin preferentially moved to the top (ethanol‐rich phase) and sugars to the bottom (ammonium sulfate‐rich phase). Scale‐up effects were compared with the equilibrium cell experiments with anthocyanin extraction yielding more than 64% w/w, the yield of sugars in the bottom phase (>61% w/w) and removal of sugars (97%), showing the feasibility for the scale‐up process. The anthocyanin profile from açai, ATPS partition on the bench scale and laboratory scale‐up evaluated by UPLC‐QTOF‐MS identified cyanidin, peonidin and pelargonidin derivatives.