Optimization of Mono- and Di-Saccharide Extraction from Cocoa Pod Husk

Cocoa pod husk (CPH) is a potential material to produce value-added products. The objective of this study was to optimize the microwave-assisted hydrothermal pretreatment (MA-HTP) of CPH and CPH hemicellulose (HMC-CPH) using a combination of response surface analysis (RSA), Box Behnken design (BBD), and proton nuclear magnetic resonance identification and quantification (1H NMR Qu) to provide an efficient protocol for the extraction of mono- and disaccharides. The methodology consisted of 15 CPH MA-HTPs and 15 HMC-CPH MA-HTPs (triplicate) designed by RSA-BBD; experimental variables: time, temperature and power; response: concentration of extraction products. Glucose, sucrose and fructose were identified as products of the extractions by 1H NMR. With 95% confidence, higher sucrose content was determined for CPH (45.62%) compared to HMC-CPH (17.34%) and high fructose content for both CPH and HMC-CPH (37.88% and 35.37%, respectively), minimal glucose concentrations were obtained in both CPH and HMC-CPH (4.57% and 0.93%, respectively). Using RSA-BBD, optimal temperature, power and time points were predicted for glucose CPH: 135.4°C-180.6 W and 5.8 min; sucrose: 154.3°C-256.3 W and 20. 2 min; fructose 129.5°C-173.8 W and 5.27 min. For HMC-CPH: glucose: 142.2°C-204.4 W and 10.5 min; sucrose 148.8°C-215.6 W and 14.3 min; fructose: 151.6°C-231.6 W and 13 min.