Ethyl Alcohol Used as a Solvent in Foods: Alternative Methods and Sources

Öz

Ethyl alcohol is a type of polar organic alcohol used for various purposes such as dissolving flavorings and food additives in foods and extracting bioactive components such as phenolic acids, flavonoids, carotenoids, alkaloids, etc. found in plants. It is widely preferred because it is non-toxic compared to other solvents such as methanol, easy to use, low cost and has suitable physical and chemical properties as a solvent. Consumption of ethyl alcohol is prohibited according to Islamic belief. Ethyl alcohol, which is used to dissolve flavoring substances used in foods and to increase the effect of natural flavors such as vanilla, creates doubts in the consumption of these foods by individuals of Islamic faith because it is included in the structure of foods along with flavors. At the same time, although ethyl alcohol as a solvent is thought to be removed by evaporative and sublimative methods after the active ingredients are extracted from the plants, it has been determined in research that it remains as a residue. In this respect, a search has been made for a suitable non-toxic alternative solvent to ethyl alcohol, which is used for various purposes listed above, and at the same time, searches have begun for new techniques that do not use solvents in the extraction of bioactive substances in plants. Some solvents such as propylene glycol, which are alternatives to ethyl alcohol as flavor solvents, are used today despite their weak effects. Since the use of such solvents is limited due to their weak effects and negative effects on human health, alternative methods that can be effective without the use of solvents are being investigated. The use of flavors and some food additives in emulsion format in foods has become widespread. New extraction techniques that use water and carbon dioxide effectively or extraction techniques that do not require the use of any solvents can be used to extract bioactive compounds from plants for health purposes. Ultrasound-assisted extraction, supercritical fluid extraction, microwave-assisted extraction, subcritical water extraction and enzyme-assisted extraction techniques have now begun to be used successfully for this purpose on a laboratory and industrial scale. As a result, ethyl alcohol alternative solvents and extraction techniques are available to dissolve some additives and extract bioactive components from plants.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Ethyl alcohol
• solvents
• bioactive compounds
• extraction
• extraction techniques

Gıdalarda Çözücü Olarak Kullanılan Etil Alkol: Alternatif Yöntemler ve Kaynaklar

Öz

Etil alkol, gıdalarda aroma ve gıda katkı maddelerini çözündürmek ve bitkilerde bulunan fenolik asitler, flavonoidler, karotenoidler, alkoloidler vb biyoaktif bileşenleri özütlemek gibi çeşitli amaçlar için kullanılan polar organik bir alkol çeşididir. Diğer metanol gibi çözücülere göre toksik olmaması, kullanım kolaylığı, maliyetinin düşük olması ve çözücü olarak uygun fiziksel ve kimyasal özelliklere sahip olmasından dolayı çokça tercih edilmektedir. Etil alkol İslam inancına göre tüketilmesi yasaklanmıştır. Gıdalarda kullanılan aroma maddelerini çözündürmek ve vanilya gibi doğal aromaların etkisini artırmak amacıyla kullanılan etil alkol aromalarla birlikte gıdalarında yapısına dahil olmalarından dolayı İslam inancına sahip bireylerin bu gıdaları tüketmelerinde şüpheler oluşturmaktadır. Aynı zamanda bitkilerden etken maddeler ekstrakte edildikten sonra her ne kadar çözücü olarak etil alkol evaporatif ve süblimatif yöntemlerle uzaklaştırıldığı düşünülse de bir miktar kalıntı olarak kaldığı yapılan araştırmalarda tespit edilmiş durumdadır. Bu açıdan yukarıda sayılan çeşitli amaçlar için kullanılan etil alkole toksik olmayan uygun bir alternatif çözücü arayışlarına girilmiş ve aynı zamanda bitkilerdeki biyoaktif maddelerin ekstraksiyonunda çözücü kullanılmayan yeni tekniklerin arayışları başlamıştır. Aroma çözücü olarak etil alkole alternatif propilen glikol gibi bazı çözücüler zayıf etkilerine rağmen günümüzde kullanılmaktadır. Bu gibi çözücüler zayıf etkilerinden ve insan sağlığı üzerine olumsuz etkilerinden ve kullanımı sınırlı düzeyde olmasından dolayı çözücü kullanılmadan etkili olabilecek alternatif yöntemler araştırılmaktadır. Aroma ve bazı gıda katkı maddelerinin gıdalarda emülsiye formatında kullanımı yaygınlaşmıştır. Bitkilerden sağlık amaçlı biyoaktif bileşenlerin çıkarılmasında ise suyu ve karbondioksiti etkili şekilde kullanan yeni ekstraksiyon teknikleri veya herhangi bir çözgen kullanımına gerek duyulmayan ekstraksiyon teknikleri kullanılabilmektedir. Ultrason destekli ekstraksiyon, süperkritik akışkan ekstraksiyonu, mikrodalga destekli ekstraksiyon, subkritik su ekstraksiyonu ve enzim destekli ekstraksiyon teknikleri bu amaçla günümüzde laboratuvar ve endüstriyel ölçekte başarılı bir şekilde kullanılmaya başlamıştır. Sonuç olarak, bazı katkı maddelerinin çözündürülmesinde ve bitkilerden biyoaktif bileşenlerin çıkarılmasında etil alkol alternatifi çözücüler ve ekstraksiyon teknikleri bulunmaktadır.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Etil alkol
• çözücüler
• biyoaktif bileşenler
• ekstraksiyon
• ekstraksiyon teknikleri

Kaynakça

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