{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,21]],"date-time":"2025-11-21T18:24:11Z","timestamp":1763749451956,"version":"build-2065373602"},"reference-count":22,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"7","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,3,21]],"date-time":"2025-03-21T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1742515200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100019370","name":"FCT\u2014Foundation for Science and Technology","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["2022.07519.PTDC","CEECINST\/00052\/2021"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["2022.07519.PTDC","CEECINST\/00052\/2021"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100019370","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"name":"FCT","award":["2022.07519.PTDC","CEECINST\/00052\/2021"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["2022.07519.PTDC","CEECINST\/00052\/2021"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Molecules"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Carob fruit utilization remains limited, with most of their commercial value derived from locust bean gum, which is obtained from seed endosperm. Efficient extraction requires dehusking, which is traditionally performed under harsh conditions. This study aims to develop and optimize a milder, more sustainable dehusking method while preserving seed quality for industrial applications. Various aqueous-based solvents were tested, leading to the selection of metanesulfonic acid (CH4O3S). A Box\u2013Behnken design with response surface methodology optimized the process, using husk removal efficiency as the response variable. The optimized conditions were 24.5 g of seeds treated in 50 mL of a solvent mixture (41% CH4O3S and 59% H2SO4) at 90 \u00b0C for 10 min, followed by washing by 5 min with water (87 mL). The treated seeds were analyzed using colorimetry assays and diffusive reflectance spectroscopy and benchmarked against both pristine and dehusked seeds from a local company. The resulting seeds remained morphologically intact and exhibited appealing color characteristics comparable to commercial samples. The optimized method ensured intact seed morphology and color characteristics comparable to commercial standards, offering a viable alternative to conventional H2SO4-based dehusking. Furthermore, this study also highlights for the first time the effectiveness of diffusive reflectance spectroscopy as a rapid and straightforward tool for assessing the dehusking process.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/molecules30071397","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,3,21]],"date-time":"2025-03-21T04:58:38Z","timestamp":1742533118000},"page":"1397","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":2,"title":["On the Optimization of Carob Seed Peel Extraction Using Aqueous-Based Acidic Systems"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"30","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-0972-1739","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Bruno","family":"Medronho","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"MED-Mediterranean Institute for Agriculture, Environment and Development, CHANGE-Global Change and Sustainability Institute, Faculdade de Ci\u00eancias e Tecnologia, Universidade do Algarve, Campus de Gambelas, Ed. 8, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal"},{"name":"FSCN, Surface and Colloid Engineering, Mid Sweden University, SE-851 70 Sundsvall, Sweden"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-6920-4664","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Oumaima","family":"Boutoub","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"MED-Mediterranean Institute for Agriculture, Environment and Development, CHANGE-Global Change and Sustainability Institute, Faculdade de Ci\u00eancias e Tecnologia, Universidade do Algarve, Campus de Gambelas, Ed. 8, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-6461-3541","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Hugo","family":"Duarte","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"MED-Mediterranean Institute for Agriculture, Environment and Development, CHANGE-Global Change and Sustainability Institute, Faculdade de Ci\u00eancias e Tecnologia, Universidade do Algarve, Campus de Gambelas, Ed. 8, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal"},{"name":"P\u00f3lo II\u2013R. Silvio Lima, Department of Chemical Engineering, CERES, University of Coimbra, 3030-790 Coimbra, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-5816-4476","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Maria Jos\u00e9","family":"Alia\u00f1o-Gonz\u00e1lez","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"MED-Mediterranean Institute for Agriculture, Environment and Development, CHANGE-Global Change and Sustainability Institute, Faculdade de Ci\u00eancias e Tecnologia, Universidade do Algarve, Campus de Gambelas, Ed. 8, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal"},{"name":"Analytical Chemistry Department, University of C\u00e1diz, 11510 Puerto Real, Spain"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-8642-5792","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Rui","family":"Guerra","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Center for Electronics, Optoelectronics and Telecommunications (CEOT), Faculdade de Ci\u00eancias e Tecnologia, Universidade do Algarve, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal"},{"name":"Departamento de F\u00edsica, Faculdade de Ci\u00eancias e Tecnologia, Universidade do Algarve, Campus de Gambelas, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal"}]},{"given":"Ant\u00f3nio","family":"Br\u00e1zio","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Center for Electronics, Optoelectronics and Telecommunications (CEOT), Faculdade de Ci\u00eancias e Tecnologia, Universidade do Algarve, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-3038-4434","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Sandra","family":"Gon\u00e7alves","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"MED-Mediterranean Institute for Agriculture, Environment and Development, CHANGE-Global Change and Sustainability Institute, Faculdade de Ci\u00eancias e Tecnologia, Universidade do Algarve, Campus de Gambelas, Ed. 8, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-7204-7428","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Anabela","family":"Romano","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"MED-Mediterranean Institute for Agriculture, Environment and Development, CHANGE-Global Change and Sustainability Institute, Faculdade de Ci\u00eancias e Tecnologia, Universidade do Algarve, Campus de Gambelas, Ed. 8, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,3,21]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Martins-Lou\u00e7\u00e3o, M.A., Correia, P.J., and Romano, A. 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