Using ohmic heating effect on grape skins as a pretreatment for anthocyanins extraction

This study aims to obtain aqueous extracts of valuable phytochemicals, in particular anthocyanin’s, from winemaking residues by using grape skins as natural electrical conductors allowing internal heat dissipation through Ohmic Heating (OH) effect. Two different electric pretreatments were evaluated: i) using mild temperatures at 40 °C during 20 min; ii) flash heating from 40 to 100 °C in less than 20 s (no holding time). These pretreatments were followed by aqueous extraction in water at room temperature. Independently of the temperature applied, OH allowed to boost extraction levels increasing concentration of total phenolic compounds, as well as conductivity, soluble solids and red color intensity of the obtained extracts, as shown through principal component analysis (PCA). OH pretreatments at high-temperature short-time (HTST) due to the fast internal heating of grape skin structure allowed increase total concentration of anthocyanins from 756 to 1349 μg/g, with malvidin-3-O-glucoside being the main compound identified and quantified in the aqueous extracts through HPLC analysis (corresponding to about 60% of the total). These results showed that OH bring potential to be an efficient and environmentally friendly technology towards sustainable food processes.