Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
Food and Bioproducts Processing, cilt.157, ss.159-175, 2026 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)
This study integrates Response Surface Methodology (RSM) and process simulation to develop a sustainable and economically viable pectin production system based on agro-industrial by-products within a circular economy framework. Orange peel, pomegranate peel, and apple pomace were evaluated as potential feedstocks, and the effects of extraction pH, temperature, and time on pectin yield were optimized using a Box–Behnken design. Orange peel provided the highest yield (25.08%) and was selected for large-scale process simulation. A two-phase simulation approach was conducted to assess the techno-economic feasibility. In the first phase, the influences of cellulose, pectin, protein, and soluble sugar on Internal Rate of Return (IRR), Unit Production Cost (UPC), Payback Time (PBT), and annual yield were explored through a Simplex Lattice design. Optimal conditions yielded an IRR of 52.25%, a UPC of 32.94 USD/kg, a PBT of 2.60 years, and an annual yield of 876.207 kg. In the second phase, operational factors -Main Product Cost (MPC), Raw Material Quantity (Q), and Annual Operation Period (t)- were optimized using a Box–Behnken design, achieving an IRR of 125.14%, a UPC of 30.78 USD/kg, a PBT of 2.08 years, and an annual production of 2,101,980 kg/year (MPC=29.53 USD/kg, Q=9.999 MT/h, t = 180 days). The integrated simulation confirmed the feasibility of industrial-scale pectin production, with a payback period of 4.09 years and a total capital investment of 75,113,825 USD. Overall, the proposed process offers a high-value pathway for valorizing fruit processing waste through a clean, circular, and economically competitive production model.