MEXICO – Scientific Biorefinery Research Group from Department of Food Research at the Faculty of Chemistry of the Autonomous University of Coahuila (UAdeC) extracted sugars with high added value, mainly mannitol from seaweed Mexican, using alternative technologies.

Daniela Elizabeth Cervantes Cisneros, a masters student in food science and technology in the UAdeC and member of Biorefinery Group said that the proposal in this paper is the extraction of mannitol from alternative technologies, using processes that do not harm the environment, in this case by means of 100 percent hydrothermal extraction processes by different heating systems such as reactors microwave, conduction-convection at high pressure and ultrasound.

The evaluation of the extraction process is done on computers with the ability to work at high pressures, evaluating different conditions short times, high temperatures and power to minimize the effect of energy expenditure and maximize the performance of mannitol using algae Mexican and applying water as sole solvent. Currently the production of mannitol is through a chemical reaction, using different catalysts, this requires a difficult purification process and high cost.

Ideal for patients with diabetes sugar

Specifically in the area of food, mannitol can be used to add sweetness to food and other sugars are substituted. Thus, products which do not increase blood glucose indications and do not have a calorific value are obtained. Therefore, they can be consumed by patients with diabetes and used in dietetic foods.

The researcher added that mannitol is an indigestible sugar with prebiotic potential, able to improve the functioning of the digestive system of the body and be used by the intestinal flora.

“The idea is to assess the Mexican algae that are currently not used, create a green process by which these resources can be used and exploited for the development of the industry such compounds and their application in different products,” concluded Cervantes Cisneros.