Partial removal of various food components from aqueous solution using crosslinked polymers of cyclodextrins with epichlorohydrin

Abstract

Abstract Cyclodextrin (CD), its derivatives and dextrin were polymerised with epichlorohydrin (ECH) to form crosslinked polymers gels. The effects of various types of such gels in removing natural food components—naringin, caffeine and theobromine—from aqueous solution were investigated. The capacity of the gel to remove natural products was highest for naringin, intermediate for vanillin and lowest for caffeine and theobromine. The influence of gel structure on removal capacity was studied by varying the molar ratio of CD, or its derivatives, to ECH. Aqueous sodium hydroxide (0·5 M ) effectively regenerated a β‐CD–ECH gel for repeated binding of naringin. About 97% of relative removal efficieny was retained after seven regenerations in batch operation. A column procedure was also effective for naringin removal.