Chemical and biological assessment of high value pharmaceutical raw material from Egyptian orange peel

Abstract

In Egypt, orange juice industries generate huge amount of waste peel that could be a source of raw materials with high value and economic return. Here, we explored a better model for waste management of citrus processing waste in Egypt by developing an ecofriendly method for preparation of value added materials. A high grade pectin (HGP) was obtained from the crude acidic water extract of the peel after passing through Diaion HP20 column. The HGP showed potent antidiabetic activity at lower dose than those reported in literature. It possessed significant effect on blood glucose (BG) level, as well as parameters relevant to liver and kidney functions in streptozotocin (STZ) induced diabetic rats. On the other hand, the essential oil (EO) prepared by cold press showed the highest yield (0.72% w/w) and it is the most applicable method of isolate orange oil on pilot scale. EO showed significant antimicrobial activity against the tested food borne pathogens. In conclusion, high value materials — HGP and EO were prepared on pilot scale from the waste orange peel. While the HGP can be included in food supplement for diabetic patients, EO can be used as a natural food preservative.