Enzymatic treatment in the extraction of cold-pressed lemon peel oils

Abstract Cold-pressed essential oils from the peel are the first by-products to be recovered during the processing of citrus fruits and any improvement in their recovery is of great interest for the lemon processing industry. An oil recovery system which does not involve recycling results in high water consumption and high volumes of waste water. However, enzymatic treatment allows the aqueous discharges from desludger and polisher centrifuges to be recycled to the extractors, increasing the yield of essential oil and reducing water consumption and waste without harming oil quality. In addition, enzymatic treatment leads to the production of a less enviromentally damaging waste.