Production of Alkali Treated Cottonii from Eucheuma Cottonii on Pilot Plant Scale Using Response Surface Methodology

Abstract

Alkali Treated Cottonii (ATC) is processed from red algae (Eucheuma cottonii) with alkaline treatment. Important factors affecting the commercial production of ATC are KOH concentration, temperature and process time. Variation in alkaline treatment conditions process will effect the yield and gel strength of the ATC. The optimum conditions for the alkaline treatment were KOH concentration, temperature and process time from Eucheuma cottonii were determined using response surface methodology (RSM). Based on the RSM approach is known that KOH concentration, temperature and process time had a significant influence on the seaweed alkaline treatment to ATC. Optimum alkaline treatment conditions obtained from KOH concentration (7%), temperature 78.81ºC and process time 2 h. Under the optimal conditions obtained the yield of 30.62% and gel strength of 1.114.69 g.cm-2.