EXTRACTION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF FOOD BIOPOLYMERS

FROM BYPRODUCTS OF MANGO (Manguifera indica L.)

Ramos-Ramirez, E. G., Sierra-López D., Pascual-Ramírez J.,
Salazar-Montoya J. A.
Biotechnology and Bioengineering Department, CINVESTAV-IPN, Av. IPN 2508. Col. San Pedro
Zacatenco. C.P. 07360, Mexico City, Mexico. Email: eramos@cinvestav.mx

ABSTRACT

Due to its production volume and consumption rate, mango is one of the most important fruit
crops in Mexico. The mango pulp is the only industrialized fraction, discarding major
byproducts of mango processing like peels and seeds, which represent a serious disposal
problem and contributing to water pollution and plagues. The aim of this study was the
extraction and characterization of active biopolymers from seed and peel of mango Tommy
Atkins variety. Samples were acquired during their commercial ripeness stage from a local
market in Mexico City. The biopolymers fractions from peel and seed kernel (germ) were
extracted and analyzed using Official Methods of AOAC and physicochemical methods.
Results show that mango peel is an important source of raw fiber (19 %) and proteins (3 %),
also soluble carbohydrates (68 %) in which we can find pectin. From seed kernels, it is possible
to obtain starch (43 %), fat (12 %) and proteins (4 %), although this fraction did not have raw
fiber nor pectin substances. Results show that pectin from peel was of high methoxyl and had
low acetylation. It was not possible to determine the pectin fusion point due to its behavior of
amorphous polymer, so a calcination point was greater than 220 °C. From the seed kernel was
possible to isolate starch with high amylose and amylopectin. The information obtained in this
work could contribute to the use of the byproducts of mango. Active biopolymers such as pectin
and starch could give a value added to the crop and helping prevent waste production to the
environment.

Key words: Biopolymers, mango peel, seed kernel, starch, pectin.

INTRODUCTION

Mango is one the most harvested fruits in Mexico. It has its origins in the Asian continent,
specifically in the north area of India. It was distributed all throughout Southeast Asia and later
on The Malay Archipelago. The Portuguese took it to the African Continent and later on to
Brazil and from there it disseminated to the whole American Continent [1]. It belongs to the
Anacardiaceae family, and the Manguifera genus, which includes 54 species, most of them,
are small wild fruits, found in general in India. The specie Manguifera indica L. is the most
commercial harvested worldwide and exist different varieties [2].

According to NOM-129-SCFI-1998 [3], the Indostan group include several varieties which fruits
have a thick peel, fibrous pulp and a big seed. In Mexico, already to half of production of (1.7
million tons in 2015 according to SIAP [4]) belongs to Indostan group. Currently it is consumed
mainly as a fresh fruit; leaving the peel and seed as waste [5], in this group, we have varieties
as Haden, Tommy Atkins, Kent, Irwin, Keitt and Oro [6].
The epicarp represents 10 to 20 % of the fruit, while the endocarp can make up to 30 % [7].
Process waste can result in 60 % of the fruits total weight, depending on the variety and
ripeness stage. The most common use for the generated waste is cattle food. However, when
disposed on residual waters, it affects its general quality and marine wildlife because of a rise
in eutrophication [8]. There are some studies on the extraction of food additives using mango
varieties of Asian and Indian, but there is no studies performed in Mexico. With this, the main
objective of our study was the extraction and characterization of biopolymers from mango
byproducts, because of the biopolymers extracted from the peel and seed could be important
in the food industry.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Mango fruits Tommy Atkins variety were purchased from a local market in Mexico City. The
fruits in a commercial maturity state were separated into fractions: peel, pulp, and seed. In the
seed kernel and peel was performed the proximal chemical analysis [9], the results indicated
several components in greater proportion. The pectin was extracted from peel, while starch
was isolated from the seed kernel. The characterization of the pectin included the
determination of methoxylation [10] and acetylation [11] degree. The germ was used for the
extraction of starch using the method of Kaur [12] with some modifications. In the starch
isolated were analyzed total carbohydrates [13] and amylose/amylopectin relationship [14].

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Having made the manual separation of fractions, was obtained 11.5 % ± 2.11 of peel, pulp in
this variety was 79.46 % ± 3.12, while for the seed was determined a value of 9.02 % ± 2.33.
In Tommy Atkins variety was possible to obtain about 20 % of byproducts. The fruits with
commercial maturity had a value of 17.22 °Bx ± 0.80 of total soluble solids, with an acidity of
0.03 % ± 0.01 quantified as a percentage of citric acid. After the characterization, the peels
were separated into two groups. The first group was used for the proximal chemical analysis,
while the second group was used for the pectin extraction. In the case of the seed, these were
separated into his fractions in order to obtain the germ. The Figure 1 shown the fractions after
the extraction process of the cotyledons.

Figure 1. Fractions of mango fruit after manual separation.

a) Peel (pericarp), b) Seed (endocarp), c) Seed kernel (germ).

The result of the chemical characterization of the fractions is shown in Table 1. As can be
seen, the peel of this fruit is rich in soluble carbohydrates, the ash and raw fiber found to be
significantly high in this fraction, possibly due to pectin content. From the cotyledons of the
germ was determined that it is rich in soluble carbohydrates. The high content of soluble
carbohydrates in all fractions indicate a high content of total sugars in the fruit.

Table 1. Proximal chemical analysis of the fractions of mango Tommy Atkins.

Soluble
Ash Raw fiber carbohydrate
% % %
Peel 4.62±0.19 19.75±2.01 68.43±4.12
Pulp 2.12±0.02 4.70±0.95 89.06±3.21
Germ 2.53±0.10 4.07±0.08 76.58±4.86

Kratchanova [15] performed the quantifying of pectin in mango peel of Keitt variety. On the
other hand, Kaur [12] report the presence of starch in the germ of mango Chausa, Totapuri,
Kuppi, Langra and Dashehari. According to these authors and the data shown in Table 1
(related to the content of crude fiber and soluble carbohydrates) it can be assumed the
presence of pectin in peel and starch in cotyledons of Tommy Atkins variety.

The peel pectin obtained was characterized as high methoxyl (94.81 % ± 0.9) and low
acetylation (0.295 % ± 0.03) degree. It was not possible to determine the pectin fusion point
due to its amorphous polymer behavior; its dehydration temperature was 125 °C, while the
thermal calcination was detected at 245 °C. Einhorn-Stoll [16] determined the calcination
temperature near to 250 °C for citrus pectin with different treatments.

Finally, the starch yield from cotyledons of mango Tommy Atkins was quantitated 26.74 % ±
1.28. Hassan [17] reported the presence of starch in four Nigerian varieties of mango, in a
range of 52.8 % ±1.2 to 65.37 % ±1.11, depend on the variety. For Tommy Atkins variety in
commercial maturity, the extracted starch represent an amount of amylose near to 26.61 %.
Kawaljit and Seung-Taik [18] reported 28.8 % of amylose in starch of seeds of Chausa mango,
as well as 33.6 % in starch from Kuppi mango seeds cultivated in South Korea.

CONCLUSIONS

The starch extracted from the Tommy Atkins seed kernel, in commercial maturity, present an
amount of amylose near to 26.61 % similar to Asiatic varieties, representing a new option for
their extraction. Pectin extracted from the peel was of high methoxylated and the calcination
point near of 245 °C, represents a potential food additive useful at high temperature. The
information obtained in this study could contribute to the use of the byproducts of mango (peel
and seed kernel), since it was possible to extract and characterize pectin and starch
biopolymers, which are of interest to the food industry.

AKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The authors are grateful to CONACYT for the scholarship granted to J.P.R. (219099) and for the
technical support to Biol. M.P. Méndez Castrejón (chemical characterization) and to Ing. M. Márquez
Robles (thermal analysis).
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