Techno-economic evaluation for recovering phenolic compounds from acai (Euterpe oleracea) by-product by pressurized liquid extraction

Abstract Acai is one of the leading Brazilian Amazon fruits, which pulp is consumed throughout the country and exported to several others. Acai by-product represents 80-90% berry mass. In order to reuse the by-product, pressurized liquid extraction (PLE) was applied. Solvent composition and temperature were studied through their effect on the global extraction, total phenolic, reducing sugars yields, and antioxidant capacity. High temperature (115 oC) and ethanol+water (75 wt.%) favored obtaining antioxidant extracts. These PLE conditions were kinetically studied and economically evaluated. The end of the first theoretical extraction period (tCER) resulted in the extracts’ minimum cost of manufacturing (COM). Regardless of the extraction time, scale-up reduced the COM, advising the process at large scales. A sensitivity study was carried out considering different extract selling prices as scenarios. All the estimated selling prices showed encouraging economic indexes. PLE proved to be technically and economically feasible to obtain acai by-product extracts with confirmed antioxidant capacity.