An environmentally friendly production method: The pectin and essential oil from the waste peel of juvenile pomelo (Citrus maxima ‘Shatian Yu’) were extracted simultaneously in one step with an acid-based deep eutectic solvent

In agricultural production, the juvenile pomelo (Citrus maxima ‘shatian Yu’) is sometimes disregarded, yet its peel is rich in pectin and essential oils. The following parameters were found to be ideal for the extraction of pectin and essential oil: pH of 5.75, a liquid-solid ratio of 4 mL/g, a microwave power of 560 W, and a 30-min irradiation period. The maximum production of pectin was 26.70% ± 1.35% and the greatest output of essential oil was 2.09% ± 0.11% under these circumstances, both exceeding the yields of traditional steam distillation. Utilizing gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, the constituents of the essential oil were identified. There were 62 chemicals were found in the oil that was prepared by combining eutectic solvent extraction with microwave assistance, which better conserved the biological activity of juvenile pomelo peel essential oil. Overall, this technique shows how effective and eco-friendly acid-based deep eutectic solvent microwave-assisted extraction can be as a solution for treating agricultural waste.