Environmental friendly cold-mechanical/sonic enzymatic assisted extraction of genipin from genipap (Genipa americana)

•Novel process for non-cross-linked genipin recovery using emerging technologies.•Cold ultrasound assisted extraction for genipin recovery from genipap fruit peel.•Pectinesterase enzyme as technological aid in cold recovery of genipin. An efficient cold-mechanical/sonic-assisted extraction technique was developed for extraction of genipin from genipap (Genipa americana) peel. Ultrasound assisted extraction (285W, 24kHz) was performed at 5, 10 and 15°C for 5, 10 and 15min. After cold-extraction, genipin was separated from pectin and proteins by aid of fungal pectinesterase. The maximum yield of non-cross-linked genipin was 7.85±0.33mg/g, at 10°C for 15min by means of ultrasound extraction. The protein amount in extracts decreased in all samples. If mechanical process is combined with ultrasound assisted extraction the yield is increased by 8 times after the pectinesterase-assisted polyelectrolyte complex formation between pectic polysaccharides and proteins, avoiding the typical cross-linking of genipin. This novel process is viable to obtain non-cross-linked genipin, to be used as a natural colorant and cross-linker in the food and biotechnological industries.