Microwave assisted extraction of pectin from waste Citrullus lanatus fruit rinds

In this present study, microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) was applied to extraction of pectin from waste Citrullus Lanatus fruit rinds. Extraction parameters which are employed in this study are microwave power (160–480 W), irradiation time (60–180 s), pH (1–2) and solid–liquid ratio (1:10–1: 30 g/ml) and they were optimized using a four factor three levels Box–Behnken response surface design (BBD) coupled with desirability function methodology. The results showed that, all the process variables have significant effect on the extraction yield of pectin. Optimum MAE conditions for the highest pectin yield from waste C. Lanatus fruit rinds (25.79%) were obtained with microwave power of 477 W, irradiation time of 128 s, pH of 1.52, solid–liquid ratio of 1:20.3 g/ml respectively. Validation experiment results were well agreed with predicted value.