Planta Med 2013; 79 - PH1
DOI: 10.1055/s-0033-1352078

High-end analytical technology for the valorization of apolar natural products out of bio-waste: an integrated workflow

S Bijttebier 1, E D'Hondt 2, S Apers 3, N Hermans 3, S Voorspoels 2
  • 11: Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), Industrial Innovation, Boeretang 200, 2400 Mol, Belgium. 2: University of Antwerp, Natural Products & Food – Research and Analysis (NatuRA), Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Antwerp, Belgium
  • 2Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), Industrial Innovation, Boeretang 200, 2400 Mol, Belgium
  • 3University of Antwerp, Natural Products & Food – Research and Analysis (NatuRA), Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Antwerp, Belgium

Organic-biological waste produced by the food industry often contains natural components of high value including health promoting phytonutrients that are barely utilized from these resources today. This is among others due to the fact that this bio-waste is not well characterized on the molecular level. An essential first step in a potential valorization process or optimal use of resources is knowing their composition.

Therefore a generic screening platform was developed on an Ultra High Performance Liquid Chromatograph-Photodiode Array Detector-accurate mass-Mass Spectrometer (UHPLC-PDA-am-MS) for the measurement of apolar plant metabolites in biological matrices. For am-MS detection Atmospheric Pressure Chemical Ionisation (APCI) was combined with orbitrap technology (Exactive – Thermo Scientific). Because of the generic character of the sample preparation procedure and the use of screening detectors, compound detection is virtually only limited to its solubility and ionisation efficiency. Therefore a wide range of interesting natural compounds (e.g. carotenoids, phytosterols, fat soluble vitamins, polyacetylenes, etc.) can be identified simultaneously without the use of analytical standards (e.g. 115 identified apolar plant metabolites in chili pepper). Interesting identified unknowns were extracted from samples and purified by Supercritical Fluid Chromatography (SFC) and, subsequently, their identities were confirmed by Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) analysis. The purified compounds could then be applied as analytical standards for quantification purposes, thereby aiding the assessment of the viability of potential end products (cosmeceuticals, pharmaceuticals, food supplements) developed from bio-waste or even aiding the optimization of biomass culturing conditions for maximum phytonutrient production. Future perspectives are the sustainable and economically viable extraction of valuable plant metabolites out of food processing waste for product development.