Towards a sustainable and green extraction of curcuminoids using the essential oil of Cinnamomum cassia?

Sustainable Food Technology Pub Date: 2023-03-08 DOI: 10.1039/D2FB00026A

Abstract

A natural and sustainable alternative to conventional solvents in terms of solubilization and extraction of curcuminoids from Curcuma longa L. was investigated. By mixing ethanol with natural aromas, a drastic increase (up to 30-fold) of curcumin solubility with regard to pure ethanol could be achieved. Through a solubility screening of ten naturally abundant aromas with different functionalities, conducted via UV/vis analysis, cinnamaldehyde was determined to be the most promising one. COSMO-RS calculations combined with 1H and NOESY NMR were conducted to determine the solving mechanism. As a natural source, rich in cinnamaldehyde, essential cinnamon oils were examined concerning their curcumin solving ability with regard to their chemical composition. The best oil, coming from Cinnamomum cassia with a cinnamaldehyde content of 79%, was used successively as a natural solvent for cycle extraction experiments. By encountering a premature saturation, a theoretical model for cycle extractions was proposed.

Graphical abstract: Towards a sustainable and green extraction of curcuminoids using the essential oil of Cinnamomum cassia
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