Preparation and characterization of okara nanocellulose fabricated using sonication or high-pressure homogenization treatments

Changling Wu; David Julian McClements; Mingyu He; Li Zheng; Tian Tian; Fei Teng; Yang Li

doi:10.1016/j.carbpol.2020.117364

Preparation and characterization of okara nanocellulose fabricated using sonication or high-pressure homogenization treatments

Carbohydr Polym. 2021 Mar 1:255:117364. doi: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2020.117364. Epub 2020 Nov 5.

Authors

Changling Wu¹, David Julian McClements², Mingyu He¹, Li Zheng¹, Tian Tian¹, Fei Teng³, Yang Li⁴

Affiliations

¹ Department of Food Science, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, 150030, China.
² Department of Food Science, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, 01003, USA.
³ Department of Food Science, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, 150030, China. Electronic address: tengfei@neau.edu.cn.
⁴ Department of Food Science, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, 150030, China; National Soybean Engineering Technology Research Center, Harbin, Heilongjiang, 150030, China; Heilongjiang Academy of Green Food Science, Harbin, Heilongjiang, 150030, China. Electronic address: yangli@neau.edu.cn.

PMID: 33436197
DOI: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2020.117364

Abstract

Nanocellulose was isolated from okara using either ultrasound or high-pressure homogenization treatments. Dynamic light scattering, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, swelling behavior, rheological properties, and thermal analysis were used to characterize the physical-chemical and structural properties of the cellulose obtained. Sonication at 600 W for 15 min led to a cellulose material with a small mean particle diameter (d =0.22 μm), narrow polydispersity index (PDI = 0.21), strong negative charge (ζ = -36 mV), high swelling ratio (SR = 7.6), high crystallinity index (CI = 72 %), and formed viscous solutions. The initial pyrolysis temperature of the cellulose increased from 212 to 225 ℃, while the pyrolysis residue decreased from 26 to 12 %, after the sonication/homogenization treatment. The cellulose material produced in this study may be applied in various food and non-food applications as a texture modifier, stabilizer, structural component, or digestion modifier.

Keywords: High-pressure homogenization; Microstructure; Nanocellulose; Okara; Ultrasound.