Replication data for: Physicochemical Characterization and Antioxidant Properties of Cellulose-Rich Extracts Obtained from Carob (Ceratonia siliqua L.) Pulp for Preparation of Cellulose-Rich Gels

This dataset contains the replicate-level numerical data used to support the results reported in the associated article. The study evaluated the potential of carob pulp, a major by-product of carob pod processing, as a source of cellulose-rich fractions with possible applications in gel formulation,...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Bernat Llompart, Dalmau, Maria Esperanza, Umaña Zamora, Mónica, Femenia, Antoni
Tipo de recurso: conjunto de datos
Fecha de publicación:2026
País:España
Institución:Consorci de Serveis Universitaris de Catalunya (CSUC)
Repositorio:CORA.Repositori de Dades de Recerca
OAI Identifier:oai:dnet:cora.rdr____::a8851a8cfb8da8538fde50198734eda2
Acceso en línea:https://doi.org/10.34810/DATA3348
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Agricultural Sciences
Carob
Ceratonia siliqua
Cellulose-rich gels
Antioxidants
By-products
Descripción
Sumario:This dataset contains the replicate-level numerical data used to support the results reported in the associated article. The study evaluated the potential of carob pulp, a major by-product of carob pod processing, as a source of cellulose-rich fractions with possible applications in gel formulation, edible coatings and other food or biobased material applications. The data allow external users to reproduce the descriptive statistics, compare carob varieties and reuse the measurements related to: - basic physicochemical properties of carob pulp; - yield of the cellulose-rich fraction; - monosaccharide composition of the cellulose-rich fraction; - hydration and lipid adsorption properties; - total phenolic content and antioxidant capacity. The carob tree (Ceratonia siliqua L.) is a defining species of the Mediterranean region, and its fruit, the carob pod, has seen a notable increase in economic interest in recent years, primarily due to the production of locust bean gum (E410), a widely used food additive derived from the seeds. The remainder of the fruit, the carob pulp, comprises 80–90% of the fruit’s weight and is typically considered a by-product, with its primary application being in animal feed. This study focused on obtaining cellulose-rich extracts from selected carob varieties cultivated in the Mediterranean region. A comprehensive physicochemical char-acterization of these cellulose-rich fractions was conducted, including the assessment of their antioxidant properties, specifically total phenolics and antioxidant capacity meas-ured by the FRAP, ABTS, and CUPRAC methods. The findings reveal that carob pulp is an excellent source of carbohydrates, including soluble sugars, which constitute 33–45% of the pulp’s fresh weight, depending on the variety, and cell wall polysaccharides. The cell wall polymers, with cellulose as the predominant component, account for approximately 45% of the fresh pulp weight. Notable amounts of other polysaccharides, such as pectins and hemicelluloses, were also identified. Among the studied varieties, Bugadera and Rotjal stood out as exceptional sources of cellulose-rich extracts. Carob pulp was also found to be rich in antioxidant compounds, reflected in its high antioxidant capacity. In particular, the Bugadera variety, grown under irrigated conditions, exhibited a significant concentration of phenolic compounds (24.4 mg gallic acid equivalents per gram of pulp) and high anti-oxidant activity across all methods used, with ABTS measurements reaching up to 391.5 mg Trolox equivalents per gram of pulp. In conclusion, these results underscore the sig-nificant potential of carob pulp as a source of valuable cellulose-rich extracts, offering ap-plications beyond its traditional use as animal feed. By exploring these new possibilities, the economic and environmental sustainability of carob cultivation could be greatly en-hanced, contributing to the broader valorization of this iconic Mediterranean fruit.