|
Value-Added Products from Pecan Nutshells - Nurhan Dunford, Oil/Oilseed Specialist
Pecan nuts are native to Oklahoma. Over 16 million pounds of pecan nuts are produced in the state annually. Despite the large production, value-added processing of pecans is not well developed, and the value generated by this industry remains to be relatively low. Shells are almost half of the nut weight. Industrial processing produces large amounts of shells as byproducts, which are currently used in low value applications such as gardening aids. Hence, shells have economic significance to pecan growers and processors.
This study explores valorization of pecan processing industry byproducts. Aqueous ethanol (70% ethanol), microwave and sonication aided water, and subcritical water (pressurized water) extraction techniques are being examined for their efficacy for recovering health beneficial and biologically active compounds naturally present in pecan nut shells.
Chemical composition and biological activity of the extracts obtained from two different industrial byproduct streams and five pecan cultivars have been evaluated. We have demonstrated that crude aqueous ethanol extracts prepared in the lab possess strong antioxidant activity and inhibit human cancer cell growth. Our ongoing research focuses on optimization of other environmentally benign and sustainable extraction techniques, crude extract purification, testing efficacy of the purified extracts and formulation of consumer products for food and industrial applications.
| 
