A NEW PROCESS OF FRACTIONATION OF CASHEW (ANACARDIUM OCCIDENTALE L.) APPLE FOR THEIR INTEGRATED VALORIZATION THROUGH BIOREFINING

The cashew apple, the primary byproduct of the cashew industry, consists mainly of juice (86%), 14.13% dry matter, rich in parietal fibers (40.20%), and contains nearly 5.95% protein, approximately 6% lipids, and 0.43% minerals, in addition to its numerous bioactive compounds described by certain authors. This composition makes it a resource with high potential for value-added processing. This study proposes an innovative process for its fractionation via twin-screw extrusion to obtain several valuable fractions. The material balance shows that one metric ton of processed apples yields 942 to 946 kg of raw juice, which can be used directly in nectars or dried products, or can undergo clarification. Clarification of this raw juice yields 696 to 705 kg of clear juice that can be used as is or through fermentation. Solid-liquid separation also yields 241 to 247 kg of cake per metric ton of cashew apples, which can be consumed directly with or without added sugar or dried. Finally, the solid raffinate (54 to 58 kg/T), which is rich in parietal fibers (68 to 72%), serves as a valuable base for fiber-enriched foods and animal feed. These results demonstrate the ability of the twin-screw extrusion process to effectively separate the cashew apple for the integrated and nearly complete utilization of its components, paving the way for a multi-product exploitation of this resource which has been largely underutilized until now using a biorefining approach.