CLEAN PRODUCTION OF FREEZE-DRIED LYCHEE POWDER FOR MEDICINAL HERB AND NUTRITIONAL HEALTH BENEFITS

O. Deerasamee, S. Chaisawadi
Lychee (Litchi chinensis) is one of the economic fruit in Thailand with high nutritional value and health benefits. Lychee and its derivatives including lychee flesh, lychee peel and lychee seed provides a whole range of high antioxidant and medicinal properties. Technology has already been developed in which freeze dried lychee powder retains the same quality of fresh lychee flesh. According to the USDA, lychee flesh have low calories but rich in dietary fiber, vitamins, polyphenol and showed anticancer activities. Lychee peel also possesses proanthrocyanidins and polyphenol. Similarly, lychee seed possesses proanthocyanidins and antioxidant properties and showed antiviral activities. These make it a high potential candidate for commercial production for use as nutraceuticals and cosmetics. Technology has already been developed in which freeze-dried lychee powder retains the same quality of fresh lychee flesh. The designed production process has considered the wastes from freeze dried lychee flesh powder production process, which are the peels and seeds. The waste utilization process has been divided into two sequential processes. The first one is lychee peel extraction, done by grinding the peels, followed by ethanol extraction to get lychee peel extract for cosmetic use. The second process is lychee seed extraction process, done by crushing the seeds followed by ethanol extraction to get lychee seed extract for nutraceutical and cosmetic use. The residue of peels, seeds and other wastes from the extraction process can be used as biopesticides or fertilizers. This production process resulted in zero discharge by the end of the process. The clean production on freeze-dried lychee powder processing has been implemented by Fruit Juice Pilot Plant, Industrial Park Center, KMUTT. The results showed high productivity and low environmental impact. The preliminary study on financial analysis showed high feasibility for commercial production.
Deerasamee, O. and Chaisawadi, S. (2014). CLEAN PRODUCTION OF FREEZE-DRIED LYCHEE POWDER FOR MEDICINAL HERB AND NUTRITIONAL HEALTH BENEFITS. Acta Hortic. 1023, 59-62
DOI: 10.17660/ActaHortic.2014.1023.7
https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2014.1023.7
proanthrocyanidins, polyphenol, vitamins, dietary fiber, nutraceuticals
English
1023_7
59-62

Acta Horticulturae