Extraction process of high-yield tremella polysaccharide and tremella polysaccharide pressed tablet candy

Abstract

This invention discloses a high-yield extraction process for *Ulmus pumila* polysaccharide and a compressed candy containing *Ulmus pumila* polysaccharide, belonging to the field of natural product extraction and food processing technology. The extraction process employs a water extraction and alcohol precipitation method. Response surface methodology was used to optimize the material-to-liquid ratio to 1:28, the extraction temperature to 90℃, and the ethanol concentration to 90%, achieving a *Ulmus pumila* polysaccharide yield of 14.1%. The compressed candy uses this polysaccharide as the core ingredient, combined with mannitol, magnesium stearate, stevia, and sodium carboxymethyl starch. The mixture is mixed, granulated, dried, and compressed into tablets. The optimal formulation is 25% *Ulmus pumila* polysaccharide, 50% mannitol, 6% magnesium stearate, 7% stevia, and 3% sodium carboxymethyl starch. This invention solves the problems of low extraction yield and limited product form in existing *Ulmus pumila* polysaccharide extraction methods. The process is stable and reliable, suitable for industrial production. The product is convenient to consume, has an excellent taste, retains the nutritional functions of *Ulmus pumila* polysaccharide, and is applicable to the health food industry, possessing significant practical value and market potential.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the interdisciplinary field of natural product extraction and food processing, specifically to a high-yield extraction process for elm wood ear polysaccharide, and a nutritional functional compressed candy prepared based on this polysaccharide, which is suitable for the research and development and industrial production of health foods and functional foods. Background Technology

[0002] Elm ear fungus, a famous edible and medicinal fungus in Northeast my country, is rich in polysaccharides, amino acids, vitamins, and other nutrients. Among them, elm ear polysaccharides possess various biological activities, including antibacterial, antioxidant, immune-enhancing, and antitumor effects. It is also recorded in the *Xinxiu Bencao* (Newly Revised Materia Medica) for its medicinal uses such as tonifying deficiency, treating hemorrhoids, and relieving diarrhea, indicating its high development value. However, the development and utilization of elm ear fungus currently faces several technical bottlenecks: First, research on elm ear polysaccharide extraction processes is lacking. Existing technologies mostly employ traditional hot water extraction or ultrasonic extraction, resulting in low yields, unclear process parameters, and difficulties in large-scale production, without a systematic optimization plan. Second, while water extraction and alcohol precipitation are common methods for polysaccharide extraction, the synergistic effects of its core parameters (material-to-liquid ratio, extraction temperature, and ethanol concentration) have not been fully explored, limiting the extraction efficiency. Third, elm ear fungus products are limited in form, mainly existing as fresh or dried ingredients. The market lacks deep-processed products that combine nutritional function and convenient consumption, thus its health benefits are not fully realized. In the existing technology, there are no reports on response surface optimization processes for high-yield extraction of polysaccharides from *Ulmus pumila*, nor are there any compressed candy products or related formulation technologies based on *Ulmus pumila* polysaccharides. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop a standardized, high-yield extraction method for *Ulmus pumila* polysaccharides suitable for industrial production, and to develop corresponding functional foods to fill the market gap. Summary of the Invention

[0003] This invention aims to overcome the shortcomings of existing methods for extracting and developing polysaccharides from elm fungus. By optimizing the water extraction and alcohol precipitation extraction process and utilizing the synergistic effect of key parameters, the yield of elm fungus polysaccharides can be improved. At the same time, a convenient, palatable, and active compressed candy that retains the activity of elm fungus polysaccharides can be developed. The key parameters of the extraction process and product formulation are clearly defined to ensure the stability and repeatability of industrial production.

[0004] The core technical solution of this invention includes a high-yield extraction process for elm ear polysaccharides and a formulation and preparation process for elm ear polysaccharide compressed candies. The high-yield elm ear polysaccharide extraction process uses dried elm ear fruiting bodies as raw material, employing a water extraction and alcohol precipitation method combined with response surface methodology. The specific process is as follows: First, the raw material is pretreated by selecting high-quality dried elm ear fruiting bodies, pulverizing them, and passing them through an 80-mesh sieve to obtain elm ear powder for later use. Then, distilled water is added to the elm ear powder at a material-to-liquid ratio of 1:28 (g / mL), and the mixture is soaked at room temperature for 24 hours to allow the powder to fully swell and facilitate polysaccharide dissolution. The soaked mixture is then subjected to hot water extraction at 90°C for 3 hours, with gentle stirring maintained during the extraction process to ensure uniform extraction. After extraction, the filtrate is collected by hot filtration and concentrated to 1 / 5 of its original volume to obtain a polysaccharide concentrate. 90% anhydrous ethanol is slowly added to the concentrate while stirring until the final ethanol volume fraction reaches 90%, and the mixture is allowed to stand at 4°C for 12 hours. The polysaccharides were fully precipitated; finally, the precipitate was separated by centrifugation, the supernatant was discarded, and the brown flocculent polysaccharide precipitate was collected. After vacuum freeze-drying, crude polysaccharide powder of *Ulmus pumila* was obtained, with a polysaccharide yield of 14.1%. The key to this extraction process lies in optimizing the synergistic effect of three factors—solvent-liquid ratio, extraction temperature, and ethanol concentration—using response surface methodology. The solid-liquid ratio affects the solvent's penetration efficiency through the cell wall, the extraction temperature affects the polysaccharide solubility and glycoside chain stability, and the ethanol concentration determines the polysaccharide precipitation efficiency. The synergy of these three factors achieves high-yield extraction.

[0005] Based on the extracted elm ear polysaccharide, the present invention further provides a corresponding compressed candy formula and preparation process. The core formula, by mass percentage, is: 25% elm ear polysaccharide, 50% mannitol, 6% magnesium stearate, 7% stevia, and 3% sodium carboxymethyl starch. This formula was optimized and determined through single-factor experiments and orthogonal experiments, taking into account taste, hardness, and formability. The preparation process involves the following steps: raw material pretreatment, mixing, wet granulation, drying, granulation and mixing, and tableting. Specifically, the raw materials are first passed through an 80-mesh sieve to remove impurities and large particles, ensuring a fine and uniform texture. Then, each raw material is accurately weighed according to the formula ratio and thoroughly mixed in a mixer for 15 minutes to ensure uniform distribution of each component. A 95% food-grade ethanol solution is sprayed onto the mixed raw materials while stirring to form a soft material that clumps together when touched but crumbles easily when squeezed. The soft material is spread on a tray and dried in a 60℃ forced-air drying oven, turning it over every 30 minutes until the moisture content of the particles is controlled at 2%-4%. The dried particles are then granulated through a 40-mesh sieve to remove large particles and fine powder, and sodium carboxymethyl starch is added and mixed evenly again. Finally, tablets are compressed using a tableting machine, with a tablet weight controlled at 0.5g / tablet. After tableting, the tablets are sterilized to obtain elm polysaccharide compressed candy.

[0006] The key innovation of this invention lies in the systematic optimization of the core parameters of the water extraction and alcohol precipitation process using response surface methodology, clarifying the synergistic mechanism of the material-liquid ratio, extraction temperature, and ethanol concentration, which increases the yield of *Ulmus pumila* polysaccharide to 14.1%, significantly better than traditional extraction processes. The tablet candy formula was optimized through orthogonal experiments, using mannitol as a filler, magnesium stearate as a lubricant, and stevia as a sweetener, solving the problems of bitter taste and poor formability of *Ulmus pumila* polysaccharide. The product has a smooth surface, moderate softness and hardness, and suitable sweetness. Both the extraction and preparation processes are simple to operate, environmentally friendly, require no special equipment, are suitable for large-scale industrial production, and retain the bioactivity of *Ulmus pumila* polysaccharide throughout the process. Detailed Implementation

[0007] In industrial applications of crude polysaccharide from *Ulmus pumila*, a yield of ≥14% and purity meeting food-grade requirements are required. The extraction process verification of this invention is as follows: Dried *Ulmus pumila* fruiting bodies from a cultivation base in Yehe Town, Siping City, Jilin Province are selected as raw materials. Equipment includes an electronic balance, a decoction pot, a high-speed centrifuge, a vacuum freeze dryer, and an oven. 10g of dried *Ulmus pumila* fruiting bodies are taken, pulverized through an 80-mesh sieve to obtain *Ulmus pumila* powder, and 280mL of distilled water is added at a material-to-liquid ratio of 1:28. After soaking at room temperature for 24 hours, the mixture is extracted at 90℃ for 3 hours, with stirring every 30 minutes. The filtrate is collected by hot filtration and concentrated to 56mL. 90% anhydrous ethanol is added to achieve a final concentration of 90%. After standing at 4℃ for 12 hours, the precipitate is collected by centrifugation and then freeze-dried under vacuum to obtain 1.41g of crude polysaccharide powder, with a yield of 14.1%. The results showed that the polysaccharide yield was stable at 14.1% under this process. The polysaccharide purity was found to be up to standard by the phenol-sulfuric acid method. Monosaccharide composition analysis showed that it contained six monosaccharides, including mannose, rhamnose, and glucose, which met the requirements for food-grade raw materials.

[0008] In the process of preparing convenient-to-eat, high-tasting, and sensory-score-≥95 elm ear polysaccharide compressed candies, the elm ear crude polysaccharide prepared in Example 1 was used as the core raw material, combined with mannitol, magnesium stearate, stevia, and sodium carboxymethyl starch. Equipment included a mixer, tablet press, forced-air drying oven, and a four-in-one tablet testing instrument. First, each raw material was passed through an 80-mesh sieve. 25g of elm ear polysaccharide, 50g of mannitol, 6g of magnesium stearate, 7g of stevia, and 3g of sodium carboxymethyl starch were accurately weighed and mixed in a mixer for 15 minutes. Then, 95% ethanol was sprayed on the mixture to form a soft mass. The soft mass was dried at 60℃ to 3% moisture content, granulated by passing it through a 40-mesh sieve, and sodium carboxymethyl starch was added and mixed evenly. The mixture was then compressed using a tablet press to control the tablet weight at 0.5g / tablet, and finally sterilized. The results showed that the prepared compressed candy had a smooth, uniform brown, and glossy surface, a delicate taste, moderate sweetness, and moderate hardness. The sensory evaluation (taste 30 points, color 20 points, tablet appearance 30 points, and odor 20 points) scored 97.5 points, which met the standards for high-quality compressed candy, and also retained the bioactivity of elm ear polysaccharide.

[0009] In comparison, the traditional process of extracting polysaccharides from *Ulmus pumila* using a material-to-liquid ratio of 1:25, an extraction temperature of 80℃, and an ethanol concentration of 85% yielded only 10.8%, significantly lower than the 14.1% of this invention. Compressed candies prepared using a common formula (25% *Ulmus pumila* polysaccharides, 50% starch, 5% magnesium stearate, and 10% sucrose) received a sensory score of 78 points, exhibiting problems such as a rough texture, uneven sweetness, and loose formation. Furthermore, the high sucrose content did not meet the requirements for healthy foods. The comparative conclusions show that the extraction process of this invention yields a significantly higher result than the traditional process, and the compressed candy formula is superior to the common formula in terms of taste and formability, fully meeting the demands of industrial production and the market.

[0010] Beneficial effects

[0011] Compared with existing technologies, this invention has significant technical advantages: by optimizing core parameters using response surface methodology, the yield of elm ear polysaccharides reaches 14.1%, an improvement of over 30% compared to traditional processes, significantly increasing raw material utilization; the extraction process clearly defines key parameters for each step, exhibiting good repeatability, requiring no special equipment, and is suitable for large-scale industrial production; furthermore, the water extraction and alcohol precipitation method is environmentally friendly and low-cost; it is the first to develop elm ear polysaccharide compressed candy, making the product convenient to consume and carry, filling a market gap and expanding the application scenarios of elm ear; the optimized formula solves the bitter taste problem of elm ear polysaccharides, resulting in a product with a suitable sweetness and moderate texture, while retaining the antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and gastrointestinal mucosal protective effects of elm ear polysaccharides; the overall technology enhances the added value of deep processing of elm ear, promotes the efficient utilization of edible and medicinal fungal resources, and has good market prospects and social benefits.

Claims

1. A high-yield extraction process for elm ear polysaccharides, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: The raw material pretreatment, soaking, hot water extraction, filtration and concentration, alcohol precipitation purification, collection and drying; the material-to-liquid ratio in the soaking step is 1:28 (g / mL), the hot water extraction temperature is 90℃ and the extraction time is 3h, and the alcohol precipitation purification uses 90% anhydrous ethanol and is allowed to stand at 4℃ for 12h.

2. The extraction process according to claim 1, characterized in that, The raw material pretreatment involved crushing the dried elm fruiting bodies and passing them through an 80-mesh sieve, followed by soaking at room temperature for 24 hours.

3. The extraction process according to claim 1, characterized in that, After filtration and concentration, the volume of the filtrate is 1 / 5 of the original volume. During alcohol precipitation, the amount of anhydrous ethanol added is such that the final volume fraction reaches 90%.

4. A type of compressed candy containing elm fungus polysaccharide, characterized in that, The formula, by mass percentage, is: 25% *Ulmus pumila* polysaccharide, 50% mannitol, 6% magnesium stearate, 7% stevia, and 3% sodium carboxymethyl starch; the *Ulmus pumila* polysaccharide is prepared by the extraction process described in any one of claims 1-3.

5. The compressed candy containing elm ear polysaccharide according to claim 4, characterized in that, The preparation process includes raw material pretreatment, mixing, wet granulation, drying, granulation and mixing, and tableting steps; the wet granulation uses 95% food-grade ethanol, the drying temperature is 60℃, and the moisture content of the particles is controlled at 2%-4%.

6. The compressed candy containing elm ear polysaccharide according to claim 5, characterized in that, The raw material pretreatment involves passing each raw material through an 80-mesh sieve. The granulation and mixing step involves passing the dried granules through a 40-mesh sieve and then mixing them with sodium carboxymethyl starch.

7. The compressed candy containing elm ear polysaccharide according to claim 4, characterized in that, The tablet weight after compression is 0.5g / tablet. The product surface is smooth, brown, and glossy, with a sensory score of ≥95 points.