New Methods and New Products in Rosehip Fruit Processing

Abstract

This study aims to produce raw materials for products from rosehips in Türkiye. They are raw materials of high economic importance. The studies were mainly conducted in 2021-2023 at Süleyman Demirel University, Ecological Products Laboratory (in Isparta province). A total of 15 rosehip products were developed in the study. This article describes 4 new products (rosehip extract, rosehip seed oil, rosehip seed powder and rosehip hydrosol). These products are very important for the health, cosmetics and food sectors:

Rosehip powder and essence: Produced using three different methods:

1. a) After being harvested and sorted from foreign materials, it was dried, ground and turned into powder. The conversion from raw material to product is around 95% by weight.


2. b) After being harvested and sorted from foreign materials, it was boiled. It was filtered, the liquid part was boiled and dried in the oven and turned into powder. The yield is 5% from dried fruit and 3% from fresh fruit by weight. Its thickness is powdery like ash. This product is essentially the essence of the rosehip fruit. For this reason, the product is called ‘rosehip essence’. This product has a short shelf life as it is a very fine powder. It is recommended to store it in small packages and consume it within 3 months.


3. c) After being harvested and sorted from foreign materials, it was boiled, and then the large parts such as the core, trikom and shell were separated by sifting, concentrated and turned into powder. The yield is 70% from dried fruit and 15% from fresh fruit. The particle size is around flour particles.

The products are rose pink in color, the density is around 0.8-0.9/cm3. The highest quality product is obtained by evaporating the liquid part and turning it into powder. They are raw materials that can be used in food and medicine.

Rosehip oily water (hydrosol): Produced by steam distillation of mature fruits in a still. Distillation time for 50 kg of fruit is approximately 4 hours, yield is 50 kg (1/1) by weight. Color is transparent/cloudy white, easy to drink, and slightly aromatic. Specific gravity is 1/1 cm3. It is a functional food for medical purposes. It has been concluded that drinking at most one cup a day for a person of normal weight and age for three months increases the activation of the intestines and provides better nutrition to the cells.

Rosehip oil: Obtained by squeezing rosehip seeds in a strong cold press. The yield varies depending on the raw material but is between 2-3.5% by weight. Its color is pale yellow.

Rosehip seed powder is obtained by grinding the other product (solid, dry part) that comes out as a result of cold pressing. The yield is 100% by weight. Its density is 08.97 /1 cm3.

The powder obtained by roasting the beans without removing the oil or by drying them in the shade and grinding them without roasting is not considered suitable for making rosehip coffee. 

The most difficult to produce and the most valuable of the above-mentioned products is rosehip oil. Currently, commercially available rosehip oils are produced using a very cheap, chemical solvent extraction method, but their use in the health sector is against legal regulations. The total oil content in the seed is estimated to be approximately 8% in wild species. It is 4% in R. alba and other garden roses. During cold pressing, approximately 3-5% of the oil in the seed is absorbed by the hairs and other dry parts of the seed. It is recommended to perform raw material extraction with a chemical solvent to obtain the remaining oil in the material after cold pressing. Since this product is second-quality rosehip oil, it should not be used in the health sector. Rosehip powder and rosehip seed powder produced from rosehip water are important raw materials for functional foods for medical purposes (rosehip tea, rosehip coffee, rosehip paste, rosehip marmalade, rosehip molasses or drug filler material that can be impregnated with the liquid active ingredient of drugs). It is recommended to drink half a cup of rosehip hydrosol (oil water) daily on a full stomach to strengthen the immune system; to use rosehip seed oil in hand and face creams as a raw material for skin beauty and anti-aging. The chemical composition and shelf life of the products have not been determined. However, it is estimated that they will not deteriorate in a period of one year. It is hoped that these products will make significant contributions to the food, health and cosmetics sectors.