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From cocoa waste to sustainable bioink: valorising pectin for circular economy-driven tissue engineering

Lookup NU author(s): Dr Corinne Wills, Dr Piergiorgio GentileORCiD

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0).


Abstract

© 2024 The Author(s)Cocoa bean production, a cornerstone of many developing economies, currently adheres to a linear economic model, giving rise to sustainability concerns. The expansion of cocoa butter and liquor consumption has resulted in the increased generation of residual biomass, constituting 60–70 % of fresh fruit. The absence of management plans for this biomass in cocoa-producing countries poses a risk of phytosanitary issues. This study proposed a circular economy approach by valorising cocoa pod husk-derived pectin for tissue engineering. The study optimised an alkaline-based protocol to extract pectin from cocoa pod husk, resulting in ∼ 20 % yield with a ∼ 47 % degree of esterification. Methacrylation transformed extracted pectin into pectin methacrylate (PECMA), confirmed by FTIR-ATR and NMR analyses. PECMA hydrogels, crosslinked with CaCO3 and UV, exhibited rapid gelation and superior water uptake properties. SEM revealed distinct morphological differences with UV exposure, showing improved interconnectivity and anisotropic porosity while the mechanical testing demonstrated enhanced compressive modulus and rheological properties with UV crosslinking. PECMA-based bioink encapsulated chondrocytes, maintaining cell viability over 6 days. This innovative bioink, derived from cocoa waste, holds promise for sustainable tissue engineering applications.


Publication metadata

Author(s): Giron-Hernandez J, Tombe A, Chemban Koyilot M, Salas-Calderon KT, Charlton A, Wills C, Gentile P

Publication type: Article

Publication status: Published

Journal: European Polymer Journal

Year: 2024

Volume: 210

Print publication date: 24/04/2024

Online publication date: 24/03/2024

Acceptance date: 23/03/2023

Date deposited: 09/04/2024

ISSN (print): 0014-3057

ISSN (electronic): 1873-1945

Publisher: Elsevier Ltd

URL: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eurpolymj.2024.112967

DOI: 10.1016/j.eurpolymj.2024.112967

Data Access Statement: Data will be made available on request.


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Funding

Funder referenceFunder name
Ministerio de Ciencia Tecnología e Innovación
NERC Cross-disciplinary Research for Discovery Sciences
NE/X018229/1
VIPS-MC-3629

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