System and method for extracting fruit surface essential oil of fruit retention plant

Abstract

The invention provides a system and a method for extracting essential oil from fruit surfaces of fruit retention plants. The system comprises an infrared-microwave generating device and a condensation collecting device integrated on the infrared-microwave generating device, wherein the infrared-microwave generating device is used for performing an infrared-microwave synergistic effect on frozen plant fruits, so that peel structures of the frozen plant fruits are melted and heated, essential oil is separated out, and internal pulp structures are still kept in a frozen state; and the condensation collection device is used for collecting essential oil products separated out from the peel structure. When the system provided by the invention is used for extracting the essential oil on the surface of the fruit, the efficient extraction of the essential oil can be realized on the premise of not damaging the complete shape of the fruit, and the extraction yield is greatly improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of catalysts and their preparation technology, and in particular to a system and method for extracting essential oils from the surface of fruit-bearing plants. Background Technology

[0002] Citrus fruits with thick peels, such as lemons, oranges, tangerines, and limes, are important horticultural crops, with an annual agricultural output exceeding 80 million tons worldwide. The peels of these fruits are rich in valuable essential oils; therefore, how to efficiently extract these essential oils from citrus fruits has become an important issue for improving their economic benefits.

[0003] Existing traditional extraction methods mainly include distillation and solvent extraction. These methods typically require long extraction times and consume large amounts of energy, resulting in low extraction efficiency that cannot meet the demands of today's large-scale industrial production. Furthermore, the essential oils extracted using these methods are often of low purity, frequently containing various impurities, thus affecting the overall quality and market value of the essential oils. Solvent extraction, in particular, faces serious environmental pollution problems; the organic solvents used not only harm the environment but may also pose a threat to the health of operators. In addition, these traditional methods often damage the shape of the fruit during the extraction process, destroying the integrity of the internal juice and pulp, severely impacting the economic value of the crop. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To address the aforementioned problems in existing technologies, this invention provides a system and method for extracting essential oils from the surface of fruit-bearing plants. By utilizing the combined effects of rapid freezing, infrared radiation, and high-frequency microwaves, the system can extract essential oils while preserving the original shape of the fruit and the integrity of the juice and pulp inside, thereby improving the overall economic value of the crop.

[0005] The specific details of the invention are as follows: In a first aspect, the present invention provides a system for extracting essential oils from the surface of fruit of fruit-preserving plants, comprising an infrared-microwave generator and a condensation and collection device integrated on the infrared-microwave generator; wherein... The infrared-microwave generator is used to perform infrared-microwave synergistic effect on frozen plant fruits, so that the pericarp structure of the frozen plant fruits melts, heats up and extracts essential oils, while the internal pulp structure remains frozen. The condensation and collection device is used to collect the essential oil products precipitated from the fruit peel structure.

[0006] Optionally, the infrared-microwave generator is equipped with a transparent quartz glass bottle, which is connected to the external condensation collection device via a connecting pipe.

[0007] Secondly, the present invention provides a method for extracting essential oils from the surface of fruit-bearing plants, the method being applicable to the fruit-bearing plant surface essential oil extraction system described in the second aspect above, comprising: Fresh plant fruits are rapidly frozen to create frozen fruits. The frozen fruit is transferred to an infrared-microwave processing and condensation collection system. Under the synergistic effect of infrared radiation and high-frequency microwave radiation, the peel structure of the frozen fruit melts, heats up, and essential oil products are released, while the internal pulp structure remains frozen. The crude essential oil extracted from the fruit peel structure is collected by a condensation and collection device.

[0008] Optionally, the frozen fruit is placed in a transparent quartz glass bottle, and then the quartz glass bottle is placed in the infrared-microwave processing and condensation collection system, and connected to the external condensation collection device through a connecting pipe, so as to collect the crude essential oil extracted from the fruit peel structure.

[0009] Optionally, before transferring the frozen fruit to the infrared-microwave processing and condensation collection system, the method further includes: allowing the frozen fruit to thaw naturally at room temperature for 10-15 minutes; The rapid freezing process includes placing the fresh plant fruit at -18 ℃ to -20 ℃ for 10 to 12 hours.

[0010] Optionally, the infrared radiation and high-frequency microwave radiation work in synergy, including: first turning on the infrared radiation, and then turning on the high-frequency microwave radiation after 0.5-3 minutes. When water vapor is observed to appear in the pipeline of the condensation collection device, the infrared radiation is used in an alternating mode of 10 seconds and high-frequency microwave radiation for 20 seconds until the crude essential oil is extracted.

[0011] Optionally, the power of the infrared radiation is 600~900 W; The high-frequency microwave radiation has a frequency of 5.8 GHz and a power of 700~1000 W.

[0012] Optionally, after the crude essential oil is collected, the frozen fruit is sliced; then the slices are transferred to a vacuum microwave freeze-drying device for microwave heating; the water vapor generated by sublimation is collected as juice; the slices are dehydrated and dried to form dried fruit.

[0013] Optionally, the crude essential oil collected by the condensation and collection device is sealed and allowed to stand for a period of time, and then the oil layer is collected to obtain the essential oil product.

[0014] Optionally, the fresh plant fruit includes: bergamot, fig, passion fruit, torreya, rosehip, grapefruit, bitter orange, or fragrant lemon.

[0015] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following advantages: This invention provides a system for extracting essential oils from the surface of fruit of a fruit-preserving plant, comprising an infrared-microwave generator and a condensation and collection device integrated into the infrared-microwave generator. The infrared-microwave generator is used to perform synergistic infrared-microwave action on frozen fruit, causing the pericarp structure to melt, heat up, and release essential oils, while the internal pulp structure remains frozen. The condensation and collection device is used to collect the essential oil product released from the pericarp structure. Using the system provided by this invention for extracting essential oils from the fruit surface allows for highly efficient extraction without damaging the fruit's intact shape, and significantly increases the extraction yield.

[0016] This invention also provides a method for extracting essential oils from the surface of fruit of a fruit-preserving plant. By utilizing the combined effects of rapid freezing, infrared radiation, and high-frequency microwaves, the method achieves efficient extraction and collection of essential oils from the fruit peel surface while maintaining the structural integrity of the fruit. The essential oil extraction process can be completed in just a few minutes. Furthermore, the extracted plant fruit can be further used for the production of juice and dried fruit, significantly increasing the economic value of the plant fruit. Attached Figure Description

[0017] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0018] Figure 1 This invention provides a schematic diagram of the structure of a fruit surface essential oil extraction system for fruit-preserving plants, as shown in an embodiment of the invention. Figure 2 A flowchart of the method for extracting essential oils from the surface of fruit-bearing plants provided in an embodiment of the present invention is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0019] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. The following description of at least one exemplary embodiment is merely illustrative and is in no way intended to limit the present invention or its application or use. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, any product that is the same as or similar to the present invention, derived by any person under the guidance of the present invention or by combining the features of the present invention with other prior art, falls within the protection scope of the present invention. Furthermore, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without inventive effort are within the protection scope of the present invention.

[0020] Specific experimental steps or conditions are not specified in the embodiments; they can be performed according to the conventional experimental steps or conditions described in the prior art. Reagents and other instruments used, unless otherwise specified, are all commercially available conventional reagent products. Furthermore, the accompanying drawings are merely illustrative diagrams of the embodiments of the present invention and are not necessarily drawn to scale. The same reference numerals in the drawings denote the same or similar parts, and therefore, repeated descriptions of them will be omitted. Some block diagrams shown in the drawings are functional entities and do not necessarily correspond to physically or logically independent entities.

[0021] Techniques, methods, and devices known to those skilled in the art may not be discussed in detail, but where appropriate, such techniques, methods, and devices should be considered part of this specification.

[0022] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the use of terms such as "first" and "second" to define components is merely for the purpose of distinguishing the corresponding components. Unless otherwise stated, the above terms have no special meaning and therefore should not be construed as limiting the scope of protection of this invention.

[0023] Furthermore, the technical features involved in the different embodiments of the present invention described below can be combined with each other as long as they do not conflict with each other.

[0024] Before providing a detailed description of the system and method for extracting essential oils from the surface of fruit-bearing plants provided by this invention, it is necessary to explain the relevant technologies as follows: The basic principle of microwave extraction is to place biomass material into a microwave reactor, where microwaves heat the water inside the fruit, causing the cells to swell and eventually rupture. This process effectively releases the active ingredients inside the plant fruit, such as volatile substances like essential oils. Under high temperature, water vapor rapidly carries away these released active ingredients, which are then collected by a condenser. This method significantly improves extraction efficiency and reduces dependence on chemical solvents, thus it is considered an environmentally friendly and pollution-free modern extraction technique.

[0025] However, despite the advantages mentioned above, microwave extraction also has some drawbacks in practical applications. Firstly, because commonly used low-frequency microwaves have strong penetrating power, during the extraction process, given the complex internal structure of the fruit, microwaves may damage the high-value components in the inner layers while extracting essential oils from the outer peel. This can disrupt the overall structure of the fruit, thus affecting its economic value.

[0026] Currently, many researchers focus on the application and research of microwave extraction technology, but few pay attention to how to optimize the microwave extraction process to overcome the value loss caused by the extraction. To improve the economic benefits of microwave extraction and make industrial production more feasible, this invention innovatively improves microwave extraction technology. By combining high-frequency microwaves with infrared radiation and rapid freeze-thaw technology, the fruit is processed in layers. Through artificial modification (freezing), the peel containing essential oils exhibits high microwave absorption, while the inner layer, lacking essential oils, forms ice crystals, reducing its microwave absorption. This allows for targeted extraction of essential oil components from the peel while effectively preserving the overall fruit structure. This new method significantly increases the economic value of the fruit.

[0027] Furthermore, this invention optimizes the microwave extraction process by combining rapid freezing, infrared radiation, and high-frequency microwaves. This not only improves extraction efficiency but also maximizes the overall economic value of the fruit, promoting the essential oil extraction industry towards a more sustainable direction. Specific implementation details are as follows: In a first aspect, the present invention provides a system for extracting essential oils from the surface of fruit of fruit-preserving plants. Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of the fruit surface essential oil extraction system for fruit-preserving plants provided in an embodiment of the present invention is shown, as follows: Figure 1 As shown, the system includes: an infrared-microwave generator 1 and a condensation collection device 2 integrated on the infrared-microwave generator 1; wherein, the infrared-microwave generator 1 is used to perform infrared-microwave synergistic action on frozen plant fruits, so that the pericarp structure of the frozen plant fruits melts, heats up and precipitates essential oils, while the internal pulp structure remains frozen; the condensation collection device 2 is used to collect the crude essential oil precipitated from the pericarp structure.

[0028] In practice, the infrared-microwave generator 1 simultaneously emits high-frequency microwaves and infrared rays. Since frozen plant fruits contain a large number of ice crystals, and infrared rays have poor penetrability, they cannot penetrate the interior of fruits containing abundant ice crystals. Therefore, when frozen plant fruits are placed in the infrared-microwave generator 1 and subjected to infrared radiation, the surface ice crystals melt, causing the surface temperature to rise, while the inner pulp remains frozen, retaining a large number of ice crystals. When the frozen plant fruit with melted surface ice crystals is further subjected to high-frequency microwaves, the surface containing essential oils exhibits a high microwave absorption rate, while the inner layer of the fruit, lacking essential oils, has a reduced microwave absorption rate due to the large number of ice crystals. This causes the surface ice crystals to melt further, and the temperature rises rapidly. When the surface temperature reaches 100°C, water vapor appears, and essential oils are released. At this point, the interior of the pulp remains at a relatively low temperature (approximately -1 to 5°C). The released crude essential oil is then collected using a condensation and collection device 2 until product formation ceases.

[0029] In some embodiments, a transparent quartz glass bottle is installed inside the infrared-microwave generator 1. The quartz glass bottle is connected to an external condensation and collection device 2 via a connecting pipe to collect the crude essential oil extracted from the fruit peel structure. It should be noted that the pipe connecting the infrared-microwave generator 1 and the external condensation and collection device 2 passes through the top of the infrared-microwave generator 1 and is a sealed pipe. One end of the pipe is sealed to the quartz glass bottle, and the other end is sealed to the condensation and collection device 2. The quartz glass bottle is colorless and transparent, so it does not affect the normal penetration of infrared rays and high-frequency microwaves.

[0030] The fruit surface essential oil extraction system provided by this invention is a novel extraction system for extracting essential oils from valuable plants or fruits such as bergamot, fig, passion fruit, torreya, rosehip, grapefruit, bitter orange, and fragrant lemon. This system allows for essential oil extraction while maintaining the integrity of the fruit shape, ensuring that the remaining fruit retains its economic value. Using modern technologies such as vacuum freeze-drying, the juice and dried fruit are separated, yielding relatively intact dried fruit and highly nutritious juice, thus maximizing the economic value of these valuable plants or fruits.

[0031] Secondly, the present invention provides a method for extracting essential oils from the surface of fruit-bearing plants, the method being applicable to the essential oil extraction system for fruit-bearing plants described in the first aspect above. Figure 2 The flowchart of the method for extracting essential oils from the surface of fruit-bearing plants according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown, as follows: Figure 2 As shown, the method includes the following steps: S1. Rapidly freeze fresh plant fruits to form frozen fruits; When performing this step, the fresh plant fruits are selected from bergamot, fig, passion fruit, torreya, rosehip, grapefruit, bitter orange or fragrant lemon; the fresh plant fruits are placed in a freezing environment, such as placing the fresh plant fruits at -18℃ to -20℃ until the fruits freeze, the freezing time is about 10 to 12 hours; a large number of ice crystals appear inside the plant fruits.

[0032] S2. The frozen fruit is transferred to an infrared-microwave processing and condensation collection system. Under the synergistic effect of infrared radiation and high-frequency microwave radiation, the peel structure of the frozen fruit melts and heats up, and essential oil products are released, while the internal pulp structure remains frozen. In this step, the frozen fruit is placed in the infrared-microwave generator of the infrared-microwave treatment and condensation collection system. This involves the combined radiation of infrared and high-frequency microwaves. When infrared rays act on the frozen fruit, they promote the melting of ice crystals on the surface, causing the surface temperature to rise, while the internal pulp remains frozen, retaining a large amount of ice crystals. When the frozen fruit with melted surface ice crystals is further exposed to high-frequency microwaves, the oil-containing surface exhibits a high microwave absorption rate, while the oil-free inner layer, containing a large amount of ice crystals, has a reduced microwave absorption rate. This causes the surface ice crystals to melt further, and the temperature rises rapidly. When the surface temperature reaches 100°C, water vapor appears, and essential oils are released. At this point, the internal pulp still maintains a relatively low temperature (approximately -1 to 5°C).

[0033] In some implementations, before transferring the frozen fruit to the infrared-microwave processing and condensation collection system, the frozen fruit can be thawed at room temperature for 10-15 minutes to allow the ice crystals on the skin to show slight signs of thawing, so that the skin can better absorb infrared rays in the subsequent process.

[0034] In some implementations, infrared radiation and high-frequency microwave radiation work in synergy, including: first turning on infrared radiation, and then turning on high-frequency microwave radiation after 0.5-3 minutes. When water vapor is observed to appear in the pipeline of the condensation collection device, a mode of alternating 10s infrared radiation and 20s high-frequency microwave radiation is adopted until the crude essential oil is extracted. The process prioritizes using infrared radiation with poor penetration to accelerate the melting of ice crystals on the surface of the frozen fruit, raising the surface temperature while the internal pulp remains frozen with a large number of ice crystals. When the frozen fruit, with its surface ice crystals melting, is further exposed to high-frequency microwaves, the oil-containing surface exhibits a high microwave absorption rate, while the oil-free inner layer, containing a large number of ice crystals, has a lower absorption rate. This further melts the surface ice crystals, causing a rapid temperature rise. When the surface temperature reaches 100°C, water vapor appears, and essential oils are released. At this point, an alternating mode of infrared and high-frequency microwave radiation is activated to maintain the essential oil release and the internal temperature of the frozen fruit at a reasonable level (approximately -1 to 5°C). This prevents the combined effect of both from causing excessive melting of internal ice crystals, a temperature increase, and the loss of nutrients from the fruit pulp and juice.

[0035] In some embodiments, the power of infrared radiation is controlled at 600~900 W; the frequency of high-frequency microwave radiation is 5.8 GHz, and the power is controlled at 700~1000 W; preferably, the power of infrared radiation is 800 W; preferably, the power of high-frequency microwave radiation is 900 W.

[0036] S3. Collect the crude essential oil extracted from the fruit peel structure using a condensation and collection device.

[0037] In practical implementation, since the extraction method provided in this embodiment of the invention does not add any additional extraction solvent or any chemical components that facilitate essential oil extraction, the crude essential oil obtained by condensation collection contains only a small amount of water from the plant fruit itself and essential oil products. The crude essential oil is then sealed and allowed to stand for a period of time, and the oil layer is collected to obtain the essential oil product. Taking bergamot as an example, compared to conventional essential oil extraction methods, the extraction yield of the essential oil product extracted in this embodiment of the invention is 4-5‰.

[0038] In some embodiments, a transparent quartz glass bottle is installed inside the infrared-microwave generator. The quartz glass bottle is connected to an external condensation and collection device via a connecting pipe to collect the crude essential oil extracted from the fruit peel structure. It should be noted that the connecting pipe between the infrared-microwave generator and the external condensation and collection device runs through the top of the infrared-microwave generator and is a sealed pipe. One end of the pipe is sealed to the quartz glass bottle, and the other end is sealed to the condensation and collection device. The quartz glass bottle is colorless and transparent, so as not to affect the normal penetration of infrared rays and high-frequency microwaves. Frozen fruit is placed in the transparent quartz glass bottle, and then the quartz glass bottle is connected to the infrared-microwave generator and connected to the external condensation and collection device via a connecting pipe. This completes the assembly of the infrared-microwave processing and condensation and collection system, so as to collect the crude essential oil extracted from the fruit peel structure.

[0039] During the condensation and collection of essential oils, it is necessary to continuously supply cooling water to the condensation system to maintain the temperature and humidity required for distillation. After collection, the collected crude essential oil is placed in a light-proof, sealed environment for 24-48 hours to allow for stratification, and the essential oil fraction is collected using a separatory funnel. Frozen fruits that have separated out the surface essential oil but remain intact are returned to refrigeration or used for further utilization and processing.

[0040] In some embodiments, the frozen fruit can be sliced; the slices are then transferred to a vacuum microwave freeze-drying apparatus for microwave heating; the water vapor generated by sublimation is collected as juice; the slices are dehydrated and dried to form dried fruit.

[0041] To enable those skilled in the art to more clearly understand the present invention, the following embodiments will now be used to describe in detail the system and method for extracting essential oils from the surface of fruit-bearing plants according to the present invention.

[0042] Example 1 Fresh whole bergamot fruits are placed in a freezing environment and frozen at -20 degrees Celsius until the fruit is frozen solid and a large number of ice crystals appear inside.

[0043] The completely frozen bergamot was then thawed at room temperature (25 degrees Celsius) for 15 minutes to melt some of the ice crystals on its surface, while the inside remained frozen.

[0044] The whole fruit was then placed in an infrared microwave generator, where it underwent synergistic synchronous radiation treatment using 800W infrared radiation and 900W high-frequency microwaves. First, infrared radiation was activated for 1 minute; the poorly penetrating infrared light promoted a rise in the temperature of the fruit peel surface, further melting the ice crystals, while the internal pulp remained frozen, retaining a large amount of ice crystals. Then, microwave and infrared radiation were simultaneously activated for 3 minutes. The high-frequency microwaves directionally heated the fruit peel, where the ice crystals had melted and the temperature had risen, without heating the internal pulp. When water vapor was observed in the condensation collection device, essential oils began to precipitate. At this point, an alternating 10s infrared radiation and 20s microwave radiation mode was activated, and the precipitated crude essential oil was collected using the condensation device until precipitation stopped. The entire process took only 5 minutes; at this point, the internal temperature of the fruit pulp remained at -1 degrees Celsius.

[0045] The crude essential oil collected by the condenser was placed in a light-proof and sealed environment for 24 hours to allow for stratification. The essential oil fraction was then collected using a separatory funnel to obtain the essential oil product. Bergamot slices, still intact despite the extraction of essential oils from the peel, are removed. At this stage, the inner layers of the bergamot are still frozen at low temperatures. These slices are then placed in a vacuum microwave freeze-drying apparatus for microwave heating. Microwave radiation heats the bergamot slices. This microwave heating causes the ice crystals inside the bergamot to rapidly sublimate in a vacuum environment, forming vapor. The sublimated water vapor is cooled and collected by a condenser to prevent moisture from re-entering the bergamot slices; this portion becomes the bergamot juice. The dehydrated and dried bergamot slices are then called dried bergamot.

[0046] Comparative Example 1 First, place the whole, fresh bergamot fruit into the water-heated chamber of the distillation apparatus, ensuring the fruit remains fully submerged. Next, turn on the heating system to preheat the steam generator to 100 degrees Celsius.

[0047] As the temperature gradually rises, the water inside the heating chamber gradually boils. Over time, the moisture inside the fruit also begins to evaporate, forming water vapor that rises outwards from the internal cells. This ensures that the essential oils inside the fruit are released along with the water vapor.

[0048] During the distillation process, the vapor, along with the essential oil and moisture from the fruit, enters the condenser through a condenser tube. In the condenser, the vapor and essential oil are cooled and condensed into a liquid state, which is then collected in a separatory funnel. At this point, the water and essential oil separate into layers, with the essential oil floating on the surface for easy collection.

[0049] The process lasts approximately 180 minutes until enough essential oil has been collected through a separatory funnel.

[0050] Finally, the collected crude essential oil was stored in a light-proof, sealed environment to allow it to settle and separate. After 24 hours, the essential oil layers were separated and further purified to obtain the final bergamot essential oil product.

[0051] Table 1. Comparison of essential oil yields from bergamot extract using the peel-preserving method.

[0052] Table 1 shows a comparison of the yields of bergamot essential oil extracted using the peel-preserving method. As shown in Table 1, analysis of the experimental data and products leads to the conclusion that the product extracted using the peel-preserving method in Example 1 has a higher essential oil yield (from 3.0‰ to 4.7‰, an increase of 90%), a faster extraction time (from 3 hours of heating extraction time to 5 minutes), and retains more pulp (from completely destroying the nutritional value of the pulp to retaining most of the intact pulp) and juice (significantly avoiding juice loss caused by prolonged heating). Furthermore, due to the shortened extraction time, the economic value retained is far greater than that of the conventional distillation method.

[0053] Example 2 Fresh, whole figs are placed in a freezing environment and frozen at -20 degrees Celsius until the fruit is frozen solid and a large number of ice crystals appear inside.

[0054] The completely frozen figs were then thawed at room temperature (25 degrees Celsius) for 15 minutes to melt some of the ice crystals on the surface, while the inside remained frozen.

[0055] The whole fruit was then placed in an infrared microwave generator, where it underwent synergistic synchronous radiation treatment using 700W infrared radiation and 900W high-frequency microwaves. Infrared radiation was first activated for 1 minute; the poorly penetrating infrared light promoted a rise in the temperature of the fruit peel surface, further melting the ice crystals, while the internal pulp remained frozen, retaining a large amount of ice crystals. Subsequently, microwave and infrared radiation were simultaneously activated for 3 minutes. The high-frequency microwaves directionally heated the fruit peel, where the ice crystals had melted and the temperature had risen, without heating the internal pulp. When water vapor was observed in the condensation collection device, essential oils began to precipitate. At this point, an alternating 10s infrared radiation and 20s microwave radiation mode was activated, and the precipitated crude essential oil was collected using the condensation device until precipitation stopped. The entire process took only 6 minutes; at this point, the internal temperature of the pulp remained at 1 degree Celsius.

[0056] The crude essential oil collected by the condenser was placed in a light-proof and sealed environment for 24 hours to allow for stratification. The essential oil fraction was then collected using a separatory funnel to obtain the essential oil product. The essential oil extraction yield was approximately 2.7%.

[0057] Figs that have released essential oils from their outer skin but remain intact are removed. At this point, the inner layers of the figs are still frozen at low temperatures. They are then sliced ​​and placed in a vacuum microwave freeze-drying apparatus for microwave heating. Microwave radiation heats the fig slices. This microwave heating causes the ice crystals inside the figs to rapidly sublimate in a vacuum environment, forming vapor. The sublimated water vapor is cooled and collected by a condenser to prevent moisture from re-entering the fig slices; this portion becomes the fig juice. The dehydrated and dried fig slices are then called dried figs.

[0058] Example 3 Fresh whole Torreya nuts are placed in a freezing environment and frozen at -20 degrees Celsius until the fruit is frozen solid and a large number of ice crystals appear inside.

[0059] The completely frozen torreya nuts were then thawed at room temperature (25 degrees Celsius) for 15 minutes to melt some of the ice crystals in the aril, while the interior remained frozen.

[0060] The peeled fruit was then placed in an infrared microwave generator. Synchronous radiation treatment was performed using 700W infrared radiation and 900W high-frequency microwaves. Infrared radiation was first activated for 1 minute; the poorly penetrating infrared light promoted a rise in the surface temperature of the aril, further melting the ice crystals, while the internal pulp remained frozen, retaining a large amount of ice crystals. Subsequently, microwave and infrared radiation were simultaneously activated for 3 minutes. The high-frequency microwaves directionally heated the aril, where the ice crystals had melted and the temperature had risen, without heating the internal pulp. When water vapor was observed in the condensation collection device, essential oils began to precipitate. At this point, an alternating 10s infrared radiation and 20s microwave radiation mode was activated, and the precipitated crude essential oil was collected using the condensation device until precipitation stopped. The entire process took only 6 minutes; at this point, the internal temperature of the pulp remained at 2 degrees Celsius.

[0061] The crude essential oil collected by the condenser was placed in a light-proof and sealed environment for 24 hours to allow for stratification. The essential oil fraction was then collected using a separatory funnel to obtain the essential oil product. The essential oil extraction yield was approximately 1.1%. In the description of this specification, the references to terms such as "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., indicate that a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of the invention. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples. In addition, those skilled in the art can combine and integrate the different embodiments or examples described in this specification.

[0062] For the sake of simplicity, the method embodiments are described as a series of actions. However, those skilled in the art should understand that the present invention is not limited to the described order of actions, as some steps can be performed in other orders or simultaneously according to the present invention. Furthermore, those skilled in the art should also understand that the embodiments described in the specification are preferred embodiments, and the actions and components involved are not necessarily essential to the present invention.

[0063] The above provides a detailed description of the system and method for extracting essential oils from the surface of fruit-bearing plants provided by this invention. Specific examples have been used to illustrate the principles and implementation methods of this invention. The descriptions of the above embodiments are only for the purpose of helping to understand the method and core ideas of this invention. At the same time, for those skilled in the art, there will be changes in the specific implementation methods and application scope based on the ideas of this invention. Therefore, the content of this specification should not be construed as a limitation of this invention.

Claims

1. A system for extracting essential oils from the surface of fruit of a fruit-preserving plant, characterized in that, It includes an infrared-microwave generator and a condensation collection device integrated on the infrared-microwave generator; wherein, The infrared-microwave generator is used to perform infrared-microwave synergistic effect on frozen plant fruits, so that the pericarp structure of the frozen plant fruits melts, heats up and extracts essential oils, while the internal pulp structure remains frozen. The condensation and collection device is used to collect the essential oil products precipitated from the fruit peel structure.

2. The fruit surface essential oil extraction system for fruit-preserving plants according to claim 1 is characterized in that, The infrared-microwave generator contains a transparent quartz glass bottle, which is connected to the external condensation collection device via a connecting pipe.

3. A method for extracting essential oil from the surface of fruit of a fruit-preserving plant, characterized in that, The method is applicable to the fruit surface essential oil extraction system of fruit-preserving plants described in claim 1 or 2 above, comprising: Fresh plant fruits are rapidly frozen to create frozen fruits. The frozen fruit is transferred to an infrared-microwave processing and condensation collection system. Under the synergistic effect of infrared radiation and high-frequency microwave radiation, the peel structure of the frozen fruit melts, heats up, and essential oil products are released, while the internal pulp structure remains frozen. The crude essential oil extracted from the fruit peel structure is collected by a condensation and collection device.

4. The method for extracting essential oil from the surface of fruit-bearing plants according to claim 3, characterized in that, The frozen fruit is placed in a transparent quartz glass bottle, and then the quartz glass bottle is placed in the infrared-microwave processing and condensation collection system, and connected to the external condensation collection device through a connecting pipe, so as to collect the crude essential oil extracted from the fruit peel structure.

5. The method for extracting essential oil from the surface of fruit of a fruit-preserving plant according to claim 3, characterized in that, Before transferring the frozen fruit to the infrared-microwave processing and condensation collection system, the method further includes: placing the frozen fruit at room temperature to thaw naturally for 10-15 minutes. The rapid freezing process includes placing the fresh plant fruit at -18 ℃ to -20 ℃ for 10 to 12 hours.

6. The method for extracting essential oil from the surface of fruit of a fruit-preserving plant according to claim 3, characterized in that, The synergistic effect of infrared radiation and high-frequency microwave radiation includes: first turning on infrared radiation, then turning on high-frequency microwave radiation after 0.5-3 minutes; when water vapor is observed in the pipeline of the condensation collection device, the mode of alternating 10s infrared radiation and 20s high-frequency microwave radiation is adopted until the crude essential oil is extracted.

7. The method for extracting essential oil from the surface of fruit of a fruit-preserving plant according to claim 3, characterized in that, The power of the infrared radiation is 600~900 W; The high-frequency microwave radiation has a frequency of 5.8 GHz and a power of 700~1000 W.

8. The method for extracting essential oil from the surface of fruit of a fruit-preserving plant according to claim 3, characterized in that, After the crude essential oil is collected, the frozen fruit is sliced; then the slices are transferred to a vacuum microwave freeze-drying device for microwave heating. Collect the water vapor produced by sublimation to make fruit juice; The slices are dehydrated and dried to form dried fruit.

9. The method for extracting essential oil from the surface of fruit of a fruit-preserving plant according to claim 3, characterized in that, The crude essential oil collected by the condensation and collection device is sealed and allowed to stand for a period of time before the oil layer is collected to obtain the essential oil product.

10. The method for extracting essential oil from the surface of fruit of a fruit-preserving plant according to claim 3, characterized in that, The fresh plant fruits mentioned include: bergamot, fig, passion fruit, torreya, rosehip, grapefruit, bitter orange, or fragrant lemon.

Images