Malus hallings whole fruit zero waste recycling processing technology

Abstract

The present application relates to roxburgh rose processing technical field, disclose a kind of roxburgh rose whole fruit zero waste recycling processing technology, comprising the following steps: including: S1, fresh fruit is selected, washing, removing thorn, drain to get clean whole fruit, and collect stubble and wastewater;S2, whole fruit and stubble are mixed and broken, and low-temperature press, separate to get roxburgh rose original juice and first fruit residue;S3, first fruit residue is classified and separated fruit seed and peel fiber, and peel fiber is extracted by water, and alcohol extraction gets functional extract and secondary fruit residue;S4, fruit seed is dried, and cold pressing gets roxburgh rose seed oil and seed meal;S5, secondary fruit residue and seed meal are mixed and aerobic fermentation is made into organic fertilizer, and whole-process wastewater is anaerobically fermented to produce biogas and reused;S6, fermentation liquid is purified by multistage to get reuse liquid, return cleaning and water extraction process, and roxburgh rose original juice is mixed with functional extract to make functional beverage.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of prickly pear processing technology, and in particular to a zero-waste recycling processing technology for the whole prickly pear fruit. Background Technology

[0002] Prickly pear is a specialty fruit of southwestern my country, rich in vitamin C, polysaccharides, flavonoids, and superoxide dismutase (SOD), among other active ingredients, giving it high nutritional and health value. With the continuous increase in prickly pear planting area and yield, the prickly pear processing industry has developed rapidly, with processed products covering multiple categories such as fruit juice beverages, dried fruit, and fruit wine. However, existing prickly pear processing technologies generally focus primarily on juice extraction, and the large amounts of fruit pomace, seeds, and process wastewater generated during processing are not effectively utilized. This results in low resource utilization and significant waste disposal pressure, becoming a bottleneck restricting the sustainable development of the industry.

[0003] Some processes use the pressed pomace directly as feed or simply dry it to make coarse fiber powder, resulting in low added value. Other technologies attempt to extract oil from prickly pear seeds, but the active ingredients in the peel fiber are not fully extracted, and the pomace is ultimately discharged as waste.

[0004] In terms of wastewater treatment, existing processes mostly adopt end-of-pipe treatment, centrally treating washing and pressing wastewater to meet discharge standards. This not only increases treatment costs but also wastes water resources and organic matter. Although these technical solutions achieve low-level utilization of by-products in some stages, from the perspective of the entire fruit processing process, there are still problems such as overlapping product separation paths, severe loss of active ingredients, and failure to achieve full-scale closed-loop utilization of waste. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to provide a zero-waste recycling processing technology for the whole fruit of prickly pear, which solves the problems of serious loss of active ingredients and failure to achieve full-scale closed-loop utilization of waste in the existing technology.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, this invention provides a zero-waste recycling processing technology for the entire prickly pear fruit, comprising the following steps: S1: Fresh prickly pear fruits are sorted, washed, de-thorned, and drained to obtain clean whole prickly pear raw materials, and the thorn stubble that falls off during the de-thorning process and the wastewater generated during the washing and draining processes are collected. S2: The clean whole prickly pear fruit raw material is mixed and crushed with the collected prickly pear stubble, then pressed and filtered to obtain prickly pear juice and primary fruit residue respectively. S3: The primary fruit pomace is graded and screened to separate the seed components and the peel fiber components; the peel fiber components are then subjected to water extraction and alcohol extraction in sequence to separate the functional extract and secondary fruit pomace. S4: After drying the fruit seed components, cold pressing is performed to separate prickly pear seed oil and seed meal; S5: The secondary fruit residue and seed meal are mixed and subjected to solid-state aerobic fermentation to obtain solid organic fertilizer substrate; at the same time, the wastewater from the entire process is collected and subjected to anaerobic fermentation to produce biogas and fermentation liquid. The biogas is purified and reused as a process heat source. S6: The fermentation liquid is purified through multiple stages to obtain a recycled liquid. The recycled liquid is returned to the cleaning process in step S1 and the water extraction process in step S3 as process water. The prickly pear juice obtained in step S2 is mixed with the functional extract obtained in step S3, and after homogenization, degassing and sterilization, a prickly pear functional beverage is obtained.

[0007] Specifically, step S1 includes: S11: Grading and screening of fresh prickly pear fruits according to fruit maturity and diameter, removing moldy, rotten and insect-infested fruits, and selecting intact fruits that are eight to nine-tenths ripe as raw materials to be processed. S12: The raw material to be treated is sprayed and washed with flowing clean water at a pressure of 0.2 to 0.3 MPa to remove mud and surface impurities from the fruit surface; S13: Send the washed fruit into the de-thorning machine to remove the hard thorns on the surface and collect the shed thorns for later use; S14: The dethorned fruit is sent into a centrifugal dewatering machine and dewatered for 3 to 5 minutes at a speed of 800 to 1200 r / min, controlling the surface moisture content of the fruit to ≤15%, to obtain the clean whole prickly pear raw material; collect all the wastewater generated during the washing and dewatering process as part of the process wastewater.

[0008] Specifically, step S2 includes: S21: Combine the clean whole prickly pear fruit raw material with the prickly stubble collected in step S13, and feed it into a toothed roller crusher for crushing. Control the crushed particle size to be 3-8 mm to obtain uniform prickly pear pulp. S22: The prickly pear pulp is fed into a belt cold press and continuously pressed for 8 to 15 minutes under the conditions of material temperature ≤25℃ and pressing pressure 0.3~0.6MPa; S23: The pressed product is filtered and separated through an 80-120 mesh sieve to obtain clear prickly pear juice and primary fruit pomace with a water content of 60%-70%.

[0009] Specifically, step S3 includes: S31: The primary fruit pomace is fed into a double-layer vibrating grading screen, and two-stage sieving with 20 mesh and 60 mesh is used to separate the fruit seed component with a particle size > 20 mesh and the fruit peel fiber component with a particle size of 20 to 60 mesh. S32: Add 10 to 15 times the mass of pure water or recycled liquid to the pericarp fiber component, extract for 20 to 40 minutes at a temperature of 50 to 65°C and an ultrasonic power of 200 to 300W, and centrifuge to obtain water extract and water-extracted pomace. S33: Add 8 to 12 times the mass of a 60% to 80% ethanol solution to the water-extracted fruit pomace, reflux extract at 40 to 55°C for 30 to 60 minutes, and centrifuge to obtain the ethanol extract and secondary fruit pomace. Step S34: Combine and mix the aqueous extract and the alcohol extract to obtain a functional extract rich in prickly pear polysaccharides, prickly pear flavonoids and superoxide dismutase.

[0010] Specifically, step S4 includes: Step S41: Spread the separated fruit seed components evenly in a vacuum drying oven and dry them at a temperature of 40-50℃ and a vacuum degree of -0.08 to -0.06MPa until the moisture content is ≤8%. Step S42: The dried fruit seeds are fed into a screw cold press and cold-pressed under the conditions of pressing chamber temperature ≤60℃ and pressing pressure 20~30MPa; Step S43: The cold-pressed product is filtered and separated by a plate and frame filter press to obtain prickly pear seed oil and seed meal respectively.

[0011] Specifically, step S5 includes: Step S51: Mix the secondary fruit pomace and the seed meal at a mass ratio of 3:1 to 5:1, adjust the moisture content of the material to 55% to 65%, add compound probiotic agent, and ferment in a solid aerobic environment at a temperature of 28 to 35°C for 7 to 10 days. After complete decomposition, a solid organic fertilizer substrate is obtained. Step S52: Collect the washing wastewater, pressing wastewater, extraction wastewater and draining wastewater generated throughout the entire processing process. If necessary, adjust the carbon-nitrogen ratio of the mixed liquor to 20:1 to 30:1 and the pH value to 6.8 to 7.5 with molasses or urea. Anaerobic fermentation is carried out at a temperature of 35 to 38°C for 15 to 20 days to produce biogas and fermentation liquid. Step S53: The biogas is desulfurized and purified before being fed into a boiler for combustion, providing heat energy for the extraction process in step S3 and the drying process in step S4.

[0012] Specifically, the multi-stage purification treatment of the fermentation broth in step S6 includes: S61: The fermentation broth is sequentially filtered through a grid, coagulated and settled, and treated with an ultrafiltration membrane to remove suspended solids, macromolecular organic matter, and microbial impurities; S62: The pretreated fermentation broth is desalted by reverse osmosis membrane to obtain a reusable liquid with conductivity ≤500μS / cm and turbidity ≤0.5NTU; S63: Part of the recycled liquid is transported to the water extraction process in step S3 through a closed pipeline to replace pure water as the extraction solvent; the remaining recycled liquid is transported to the cleaning process in step S1 to replace part of the cleaning water, and the process water recycling rate is ≥85%.

[0013] Specifically, the mixing and blending of prickly pear juice and functional extract in step S6 includes: The prickly pear juice and the functional extract are mixed and prepared at a mass ratio of 8:1 to 12:1. The homogenization pressure is 20–30 MPa, the degassing vacuum is 0.07–0.09 MPa, and the sterilization is instantaneous, with sterilization conditions of 135–140°C for 3–5 seconds.

[0014] This invention discloses a zero-waste recycling processing technology for the whole fruit of prickly pear. Through gradient utilization of the whole fruit and closed-loop recycling design, it achieves full-scale, high-value, and zero-waste processing of prickly pear raw materials. This process involves primary fruit pomace grading and screening to precisely separate the peel fiber component and seed component according to particle size, avoiding cross-interference between the two in subsequent processing. The peel fiber component undergoes water extraction and alcohol extraction to sequentially obtain heat-sensitive and alcohol-soluble active substances such as polysaccharides, flavonoids, and superoxide dismutase, resulting in an extract rich in various functional components. This extract, when combined with prickly pear juice, fully preserves the natural nutritional and health benefits of the prickly pear fruit. For the seed component, a vacuum drying combined with low-temperature cold pressing process is used to extract prickly pear seed oil, yielding high-quality seed oil while producing seed meal as a byproduct. The secondary fruit pomace after extraction is further processed... The mixture of seeds and meal undergoes solid-state aerobic fermentation to transform it into a solid organic fertilizer substrate. Through a gradient utilization path of "juicing, extraction, oil extraction, and fermentation," fruit peel fiber, seeds, and pomace residue are all transformed into high-value-added products, with no solid waste discharged externally. Wastewater from the entire process is collected centrally and then subjected to anaerobic fermentation, converting the organic matter in the wastewater into biogas. After purification, it is reused as a process heat source, reducing external energy consumption. The fermentation liquid undergoes multi-stage membrane separation and purification treatment, and the water quality meets the reuse standards. It is then returned to the pretreatment cleaning and extraction processes for recycling, significantly reducing the consumption of fresh water resources and achieving closed-loop operation of the entire process water system. Attached Figure Description

[0015] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application or the prior art, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below.

[0016] Figure 1 This is a flowchart of the zero-waste recycling process for the whole prickly pear fruit according to the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0017] The embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below. Examples of the embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and intended to explain the present invention, but should not be construed as limiting the present invention.

[0018] This invention provides a zero-waste recycling process for the entire prickly pear fruit, comprising the following steps: S1: Fresh prickly pear fruits are sorted, washed, de-thorned, and drained to obtain clean whole prickly pear raw materials, and the thorn stubble that falls off during the de-thorning process and the wastewater generated during the washing and draining processes are collected.

[0019] Specifically, S11: The fresh prickly pear fruits are graded and screened according to their maturity and diameter, and moldy, rotten and insect-infested fruits are removed. Well-preserved fruits that are eight to nine tenths ripe are selected as raw materials to be processed. S12: The raw material to be treated is sprayed and washed with flowing clean water at a pressure of 0.2 to 0.3 MPa to remove mud and surface impurities from the fruit surface; S13: Send the washed fruit into the de-thorning machine to remove the hard thorns on the surface and collect the shed thorns for later use; S14: The dethorned fruit is sent into a centrifugal dewatering machine and dewatered for 3 to 5 minutes at a speed of 800 to 1200 r / min, controlling the surface moisture content of the fruit to ≤15%, to obtain the clean whole prickly pear raw material; collect all the wastewater generated during the washing and dewatering process as part of the process wastewater.

[0020] In this embodiment, strict ripeness grading of fresh prickly pear ensures uniform raw material quality. Fruits that are eight to nine tenths ripe guarantee juice yield while avoiding browning and flavor deterioration caused by overripe fruit. The washing process uses flowing clean water sprayed at 0.2-0.3 MPa, which effectively removes mud and sand while avoiding mechanical damage to the peel. The thorn removal process completely removes the hard thorns on the surface and collects the thorn stubble separately to prevent hard thorns from entering the subsequent crushing and pressing stages and affecting equipment operation and product quality. The draining process controls the surface moisture content of the fruit to below 15%, effectively preventing excess water from diluting the juice during the crushing stage, ensuring the concentration of the original juice and controlling energy consumption in the subsequent concentration process.

[0021] S2: The clean whole prickly pear fruit raw material is mixed and crushed with the collected prickly pear stubble, then pressed and filtered to obtain prickly pear juice and primary fruit residue.

[0022] Specifically, S21: The clean whole prickly pear fruit raw material is combined with the prickly stubble collected in step S13 and fed into a toothed roller crusher for crushing. The crushed particle size is controlled to be 3-8 mm to obtain uniform prickly pear pulp. S22: The prickly pear pulp is fed into a belt cold press and continuously pressed for 8 to 15 minutes under the conditions of material temperature ≤25℃ and pressing pressure 0.3~0.6MPa; S23: The pressed product is filtered and separated through an 80-120 mesh sieve to obtain clear prickly pear juice and primary fruit pomace with a water content of 60%-70%.

[0023] In this embodiment, the clean whole prickly pear fruit raw material is combined and crushed with the prickly stubble collected in step S13, allowing the byproducts generated in the de-thorning process to directly participate in the juicing process. This achieves the recycling of residual pulp and juice in the prickly stubble, avoiding the waste of raw materials caused by the direct disposal of prickly stubble in traditional processes. The low-temperature pressing process controls the material temperature below 25°C, effectively inhibiting the activity of polyphenol oxidase, preventing browning of the juice and oxidation loss of vitamin C, and preserving the natural nutrients and flavor characteristics of the prickly pear to the greatest extent. The pressing pressure of 0.3-0.6 MPa and the time of 8-15 min take into account both juice yield and juice quality. Filtration with an 80-120 mesh screen can effectively remove coarse fiber and residual pulp particles. The resulting prickly pear juice has high clarity and golden color. The primary pomace moisture content of 60%-70% provides a suitable material state for subsequent grading, separation, and extraction of functional components.

[0024] S3: The primary fruit pomace is graded and sieved to separate the seed components and the peel fiber components; the peel fiber components are then subjected to water extraction and alcohol extraction in sequence to separate the functional extract and secondary fruit pomace.

[0025] Specifically, S31: The primary fruit pomace is fed into a double-layer vibrating grading screen, and two-stage sieving with 20 mesh and 60 mesh is used to separate the fruit seed component with a particle size > 20 mesh and the fruit peel fiber component with a particle size of 20 to 60 mesh. S32: Add 10 to 15 times the mass of pure water or recycled liquid to the pericarp fiber component, extract for 20 to 40 minutes at a temperature of 50 to 65°C and an ultrasonic power of 200 to 300W, and centrifuge to obtain water extract and water-extracted pomace. S33: Add 8 to 12 times the mass of a 60% to 80% ethanol solution to the water-extracted fruit pomace, reflux extract at 40 to 55°C for 30 to 60 minutes, and centrifuge to obtain the ethanol extract and secondary fruit pomace. Step S34: Combine and mix the aqueous extract and the alcohol extract to obtain a functional extract rich in prickly pear polysaccharides, prickly pear flavonoids and superoxide dismutase.

[0026] In this embodiment, the primary pomace is precisely graded using two-stage sieving with 20-mesh and 60-mesh screens to completely separate the seeds from the pericarp fibers, which have significant differences in physical morphology and chemical composition. The seeds are large in size and hard in texture, and can be directly processed into the oil extraction process after separation. The pericarp fibers are of moderate size and rich in active substances such as polysaccharides and flavonoids. They are extracted through a two-stage gradient extraction process: water extraction and alcohol extraction. In the water extraction stage, pure water or recycled liquid is used as the solvent, and water-soluble components such as prickly pear polysaccharides are efficiently dissolved under ultrasonic assistance. In the alcohol extraction stage, 60%–80% ethanol is used for reflux extraction to specifically dissolve alcohol-soluble active substances such as flavonoids and superoxide dismutase. The functional extract obtained by combining the water extract and alcohol extract integrates multiple active ingredients in the prickly pear pericarp, providing a natural source of nutritional fortification for subsequent functional beverage formulations. The secondary pomace after alcohol extraction contains almost no soluble active substances, and its components are mainly cellulose and lignin, making it suitable as a substrate raw material for solid-state fermentation.

[0027] S4: After drying the fruit seed components, cold pressing is performed to separate prickly pear seed oil and seed meal.

[0028] Specifically, step S41: The separated fruit seed components are spread evenly in a vacuum drying oven and dried at a temperature of 40-50℃ and a vacuum degree of -0.08 to -0.06MPa until the moisture content is ≤8%. Step S42: The dried fruit seeds are fed into a screw cold press and cold-pressed under the conditions of pressing chamber temperature ≤60℃ and pressing pressure 20~30MPa; Step S43: The cold-pressed product is filtered and separated by a plate and frame filter press to obtain prickly pear seed oil and seed meal respectively.

[0029] In this embodiment, the prickly pear seed oil is extracted from the fruit seed components using a combination of vacuum drying and low-temperature cold pressing. The vacuum environment lowers the boiling point of water, allowing the drying temperature to be controlled at a mild level of 40-50°C, thus avoiding the oxidative damage of unsaturated fatty acids in the kernels caused by high temperatures. During the cold pressing process, the pressing chamber temperature is controlled below 60°C. Compared with traditional hot pressing and solvent extraction processes, no chemical solvents are needed. The resulting prickly pear seed oil retains natural vitamin E, phytosterols, and other accompanying nutrients, and the oil is clear with a low acid value, meeting the standards for cold-pressed edible oil. The seed meal, a byproduct of cold pressing, is rich in protein. When mixed with secondary fruit pomace, it provides a high-quality nitrogen source for solid-state aerobic fermentation, further enhancing the nutrient content of the organic fertilizer product.

[0030] S5: The secondary fruit residue and seed meal are mixed and subjected to solid-state aerobic fermentation to obtain a solid organic fertilizer substrate; at the same time, the wastewater from the entire process is collected and subjected to anaerobic fermentation to produce biogas and fermentation liquid. The biogas is purified and reused as a process heat source.

[0031] Specifically, step S51: Mix the secondary fruit residue and the seed meal at a mass ratio of 3:1 to 5:1, adjust the moisture content of the material to 55% to 65%, add compound probiotic agent, and ferment in a solid aerobic environment at a temperature of 28 to 35°C for 7 to 10 days. After complete decomposition, a solid organic fertilizer substrate is obtained. Step S52: Collect the washing wastewater, pressing wastewater, extraction wastewater and draining wastewater generated throughout the entire processing process. If necessary, adjust the carbon-nitrogen ratio of the mixed liquor to 20:1 to 30:1 and the pH value to 6.8 to 7.5 with molasses or urea. Anaerobic fermentation is carried out at a temperature of 35 to 38°C for 15 to 20 days to produce biogas and fermentation liquid. Step S53: The biogas is desulfurized and purified before being fed into a boiler for combustion, providing heat energy for the extraction process in step S3 and the drying process in step S4.

[0032] In this embodiment, solid-state aerobic fermentation and liquid-state anaerobic fermentation proceed in parallel, achieving simultaneous resource conversion of solid residues and process wastewater. In the solid-state aerobic fermentation stage, secondary fruit pomace provides a carbon source and fiber framework, while seed meal provides a nitrogen source and protein. The two are mixed at a mass ratio of 3:1 to 5:1, resulting in a suitable carbon-to-nitrogen ratio for microbial growth. After inoculation with a compound probiotic agent, the mixture is fully decomposed at 28–35°C. The resulting organic fertilizer substrate has a high organic matter content and is free of pathogens. In the anaerobic fermentation stage, all process wastewater is centrally collected, encompassing all wastewater generated during washing, pressing, extraction, and draining. Molasses or urea is used to adjust the carbon-to-nitrogen ratio and pH value when necessary, ensuring efficient and stable operation of the anaerobic fermentation. The generated biogas, after desulfurization and purification, replaces fossil fuels to power the boiler, driving the heat demand of the extraction and drying processes, thus reducing overall energy consumption and carbon emissions. The fermentation broth serves as a water source for subsequent purification and reuse, achieving the conversion of organic matter in wastewater into energy and the simultaneous recovery of water resources.

[0033] S6: The fermentation liquid is purified through multiple stages to obtain a recycled liquid. The recycled liquid is returned to the cleaning process in step S1 and the water extraction process in step S3 as process water. The prickly pear juice obtained in step S2 is mixed with the functional extract obtained in step S3, and after homogenization, degassing and sterilization, a prickly pear functional beverage is obtained.

[0034] Specifically, S61: The fermentation broth is sequentially filtered through a grid, subjected to coagulation sedimentation and ultrafiltration membrane treatment to remove suspended solids, macromolecular organic matter and microbial impurities; S62: The pretreated fermentation broth is desalted by reverse osmosis membrane to obtain a reusable liquid with conductivity ≤500μS / cm and turbidity ≤0.5NTU; S63: Part of the recycled liquid is transported to the water extraction process in step S3 through a closed pipeline to replace pure water as the extraction solvent; the remaining recycled liquid is transported to the cleaning process in step S1 to replace part of the cleaning water, and the process water recycling rate is ≥85%.

[0035] The prickly pear juice and the functional extract are mixed and prepared at a mass ratio of 8:1 to 12:1. The homogenization pressure is 20–30 MPa, the degassing vacuum is 0.07–0.09 MPa, and the sterilization is instantaneous, with sterilization conditions of 135–140°C for 3–5 seconds.

[0036] In this embodiment, the multi-stage purification treatment of the fermentation broth adopts a combined process of "grid filtration, coagulation sedimentation, ultrafiltration, and reverse osmosis". The grid filtration removes larger suspended solids, coagulation sedimentation removes colloidal substances and some dissolved organic matter, the ultrafiltration membrane effectively intercepts large molecular organic matter and microorganisms, and the reverse osmosis membrane performs terminal desalination. The final effluent meets the reuse standard of conductivity ≤500μS / cm and turbidity ≤0.5NTU. The water is clear and odorless, and can completely replace fresh pure water for pretreatment cleaning and functional component extraction. The reused water is used in a separate process based on water quality. The cleaning process has relatively relaxed water quality requirements, mainly using reused water to replace part of the rinsing water. The water extraction process uses reused water as the extraction solvent. The trace minerals have no adverse effect on polysaccharide dissolution, achieving a recycling rate of over 85% for the process water system. The beverage formulation precisely mixes prickly pear juice and functional extracts in a ratio of 8:1 to 12:1, ensuring the finished product retains the refreshing flavor of the prickly pear juice while enhancing the content of functional components such as polysaccharides, flavonoids, and SOD. High-pressure homogenization at 20–30 MPa results in a finer texture and improved stability, while vacuum degassing at 0.07–0.09 MPa removes dissolved oxygen, preventing vitamin C oxidation and browning during storage. Ultra-high temperature instantaneous sterilization at 135–140℃ completes sterilization within 3–5 seconds, maximizing the preservation of heat-sensitive active substances, ensuring the product meets commercial sterility requirements.

[0037] This invention presents a zero-waste recycling process for the whole prickly pear fruit. Starting with fresh prickly pear fruit as input, it follows a technical route of "juicing - screening - graded extraction - oil extraction - fermentation - reuse" to sequentially produce five products: prickly pear functional beverages, functional extracts, prickly pear seed oil, solid organic fertilizer substrate, and biogas. The process constructs a complete zero-waste material recycling system across the entire industrial chain through four key closed-loop steps: prickly pear stubble re-pressing, graded extraction of fruit pomace, co-fermentation of seed meal and fruit pomace, and biogas production and purification from wastewater. This completely eliminates the discharge of solid waste and process wastewater, achieving high-value and full-scale utilization of the entire prickly pear fruit resource.

[0038] The above-disclosed embodiments are merely one or more preferred embodiments of this application and should not be construed as limiting the scope of this application. Those skilled in the art can understand that all or part of the processes for implementing the above embodiments and equivalent changes made in accordance with the claims of this application still fall within the scope of this application.

Claims

1. A zero-waste recycling processing technology for the whole fruit of prickly pear, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: S1: Fresh prickly pear fruits are sorted, washed, de-thorned, and drained to obtain clean whole prickly pear raw materials, and the thorn stubble that falls off during the de-thorning process and the wastewater generated during the washing and draining processes are collected. S2: The clean whole prickly pear fruit raw material is mixed with the collected prickly pear stubble, crushed, pressed, and filtered to obtain prickly pear juice and primary fruit residue respectively. S3: The fruit pomace is graded and screened to separate the seed components and the peel fiber components; The fruit peel fiber components were subjected to water extraction and alcohol extraction in sequence to separate the functional extract and secondary fruit pomace; S4: After drying the fruit seed components, cold pressing is performed to separate prickly pear seed oil and seed meal; S5: The secondary fruit residue and seed meal are mixed and subjected to solid-state aerobic fermentation to obtain solid organic fertilizer substrate; at the same time, the wastewater from the entire process is collected and subjected to anaerobic fermentation to produce biogas and fermentation liquid. The biogas is purified and reused as a process heat source. S6: The fermentation broth is purified through multiple stages to obtain a reusable liquid, which is then returned to the cleaning process in step S1 and the water extraction process in step S3 as process water. The prickly pear juice obtained in step S2 is mixed with the functional extract obtained in step S3, and after homogenization, degassing and sterilization, a prickly pear functional beverage is obtained.

2. The zero-waste recycling processing technology for the whole prickly pear fruit as described in claim 1, characterized in that, Step S1 specifically includes: S11: Grading and screening of fresh prickly pear fruits according to fruit maturity and diameter, removing moldy, rotten and insect-infested fruits, and selecting intact fruits that are eight to nine-tenths ripe as raw materials to be processed. S12: The raw material to be treated is sprayed and washed with flowing clean water at a pressure of 0.2 to 0.3 MPa to remove mud and surface impurities from the fruit surface; S13: Send the washed fruit into the de-thorning machine to remove the hard thorns on the surface and collect the shed thorns for later use; S14: The dethorned fruit is sent into a centrifugal dewatering machine and dewatered for 3 to 5 minutes at a speed of 800 to 1200 r / min, controlling the surface moisture content of the fruit to ≤15%, to obtain the clean whole prickly pear raw material; collect all the wastewater generated during the washing and dewatering process as part of the process wastewater.

3. The zero-waste recycling processing technology for the whole prickly pear fruit as described in claim 2, characterized in that, Step S2 specifically includes: S21: Combine the clean whole prickly pear fruit raw material with the prickly stubble collected in step S13, and feed it into a toothed roller crusher for crushing. Control the crushed particle size to be 3-8 mm to obtain uniform prickly pear pulp. S22: The prickly pear pulp is fed into a belt cold press and continuously pressed for 8 to 15 minutes at a material temperature ≤25℃ and a pressing pressure of 0.3 to 0.6 MPa. S23: The pressed product is filtered and separated through an 80-120 mesh sieve to obtain clear prickly pear juice and primary fruit pomace with a water content of 60%-70%.

4. The zero-waste recycling processing technology for the whole prickly pear fruit as described in claim 3, characterized in that, Step S3 specifically includes: S31: The primary fruit pomace is fed into a double-layer vibrating grading screen, and two-stage sieving with 20 mesh and 60 mesh is used to separate the fruit seed component with a particle size > 20 mesh and the fruit peel fiber component with a particle size of 20 to 60 mesh. S32: Add 10 to 15 times the mass of pure water or recycled liquid to the pericarp fiber component, extract for 20 to 40 minutes at a temperature of 50 to 65°C and an ultrasonic power of 200 to 300W, and centrifuge to obtain water extract and water-extracted pomace. S33: Add 8 to 12 times the mass of a 60% to 80% ethanol solution to the water-extracted fruit pomace, reflux extract at 40 to 55°C for 30 to 60 minutes, and centrifuge to obtain the ethanol extract and secondary fruit pomace. Step S34: Combine and mix the aqueous extract and the alcohol extract to obtain a functional extract rich in prickly pear polysaccharides, prickly pear flavonoids and superoxide dismutase.

5. The zero-waste recycling processing technology for the whole prickly pear fruit as described in claim 4, characterized in that, Step S4 specifically includes: Step S41: Spread the separated fruit seed components evenly in a vacuum drying oven and dry them at a temperature of 40-50℃ and a vacuum degree of -0.08 to -0.06MPa until the moisture content is ≤8%. Step S42: The dried fruit seeds are fed into a screw cold press and cold-pressed under the conditions of pressing chamber temperature ≤60℃ and pressing pressure 20~30MPa; Step S43: The cold-pressed product is filtered and separated by a plate and frame filter press to obtain prickly pear seed oil and seed meal respectively.

6. The zero-waste recycling processing technology for the whole prickly pear fruit as described in claim 5, characterized in that, Step S5 specifically includes: Step S51: Mix the secondary fruit pomace and the seed meal at a mass ratio of 3:1 to 5:1, adjust the moisture content of the material to 55% to 65%, add compound probiotic agent, and ferment in a solid aerobic environment at a temperature of 28 to 35°C for 7 to 10 days. After complete decomposition, a solid organic fertilizer substrate is obtained. Step S52: Collect the washing wastewater, pressing wastewater, extraction wastewater and draining wastewater generated throughout the entire processing process. If necessary, adjust the carbon-nitrogen ratio of the mixed liquor to 20:1 to 30:1 and the pH value to 6.8 to 7.5 with molasses or urea. Anaerobic fermentation is carried out at a temperature of 35 to 38°C for 15 to 20 days to produce biogas and fermentation liquid. Step S53: The biogas is desulfurized and purified before being fed into a boiler for combustion, providing heat energy for the extraction process in step S3 and the drying process in step S4.

7. The zero-waste recycling processing technology for the whole prickly pear fruit as described in claim 6, characterized in that, The multi-stage purification treatment of the fermentation broth in step S6 specifically includes: S61: The fermentation broth is sequentially filtered through a grid, coagulated and settled, and treated with an ultrafiltration membrane to remove suspended solids, macromolecular organic matter, and microbial impurities; S62: The pretreated fermentation broth is desalted by reverse osmosis membrane to obtain a reusable liquid with conductivity ≤500μS / cm and turbidity ≤0.5NTU; S63: Part of the recycled liquid is transported to the water extraction process in step S3 through a closed pipeline to replace pure water as the extraction solvent; the remaining recycled liquid is transported to the cleaning process in step S1 to replace part of the cleaning water, and the process water recycling rate is ≥85%.

8. The zero-waste recycling processing technology for the whole prickly pear fruit as described in claim 6, characterized in that, The specific steps of mixing and blending the prickly pear juice and the functional extract in step S6 include: The prickly pear juice and the functional extract are mixed and prepared at a mass ratio of 8:1 to 12:

1. The homogenization pressure is 20–30 MPa, the degassing vacuum is 0.07–0.09 MPa, and the sterilization is instantaneous, with sterilization conditions of 135–140°C for 3–5 seconds.

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