Investigation on Acid Hydrolysis of Inulin: A Response Surface Methodology Approach
In this study, the acid hydrolysis of inulin was investigated as a function of three variables: pH, temperature and time. Inulin hydrolysis was detected by measurement of reducing sugars, using Dinitro Salicylic acid (DNS) method. The central composite rotatable design (CCRD) was applied to design an experimental program to model the effects of acidic and alkaline pH on the inulin hydrolysis. Additionally, response surface methodology (RSM) was utilized for data analysis. The statistical analysis of the results confirmed that pH, temperature and time are significant variables at acidic pH, whereas at alkaline pH, these variables are insignificant. The maximum amount of inulin hydrolysis obtained at the pH < 2, temperature > 90°C and the time of 1 hrs.