Valorization black carrot colorant process liquid waste by clarification and Decolorization: A novel sugar alternative for gummies

The aim of this study was to develop a recycling process for black carrot colorant liquid waste (BCLW) and to investigate the potential use of BCLW as a sugar source for glucose syrup substitution in gummy candy production. Clarification and decolorization were performed using ion exchange and adsorbent resins at three flow rates, followed by evaporation. The highest clarity (88.7 %) was achieved with modified styrene-divinylbenzene resin at 1.0 BV/h. Subsequently, BCLW was incorporated into gummy formulations as a glucose syrup substitute. Higher hardness values were recorded in formulations with over 75 % of BCLW incorporated, compared to the gummy samples produced with 100 % glucose syrup. The brightness remained considerably high when the glucose syrup was replaced with BCLW up to 50 %. Accelerated shelf-life tests showed changes in color and hardness. BCLW presents a sustainable alternative for the confectionery industry, offering a practical solution for waste reduction while contributing to resource efficiency.