Contribution to the Process Development for Lactulose Production through Complete Valorization of Whey Permeate by Using Electro-Activation Technology <i>Versus</i> a Chemical Isomerization Process
Ahasanul Karim, Mohammed Aïder
Abstract
of WP using electro-activation (EA) technology and compare the productivity of EA with conventional chemical isomerization at potassium hydroxide (KOH)-equivalent solution alkalinity in the feed medium. Electro-isomerization was conducted under different current intensities of 300, 600, and 900 mA for 60 min of EA with a 5 min sampling interval using 6, 12, and 18% (w/v) WP solutions. Chemical isomerization was carried out at the KOH-equivalent solution alkalinity to that measured in the EA solution at each 5 min interval using KOH powder as a catalyst. The outcomes of this study revealed that the production of lactulose using the EA approach was current intensity-, WP concentration-, and reaction time-dependent and produced the highest lactulose yield of 36.98% at 50 min of EA-time under 900 mA current intensity using 6% WP as a feed solution, whereas a maximum lactulose yield of 25.47% was achieved by the chemical isomerization at the solution alkalinity corresponding to that of the EA under 900 mA current intensity at 50 min in the 6% WP solution. Furthermore, a greater yield of lactulose was obtained using the EA technique for all reaction conditions compared to the chemical process at the equivalent solution alkalinity. Therefore, the results of this work suggest that the EA can be an emergent sustainable technology for achieving dual objectives of prebiotic lactulose production and concurrent valorization of WP using it as a feed medium.