Hello Sir
In cosmetic industry alovera gel has lot of scope to be used where it is used as a base for the preparation of creams, lotions, soaps, shampoos and facial cleaners.
The production process of aloe products involve crushing, grinding or pressing of the entire leaf of the Aloe vera plant to produce an Aloe vera juice, followed by various steps of filtration and stabilization of the juice.
The resulting solution is then incorporated in or mixed with other solutions or agents to produce a pharmaceutical, cosmetic or food product.
Aloe vera gel is the mucilaginous jelly obtained from parenchyma cells of the Aloe vera plant.
When exposed to air, the gel rapidly oxidizes, decomposes and looses much of its biological activities.
The best results are obtained when leaves are processed immediately after harvesting.
The entire process involves washing the freshly harvested Aloe vera leaves in a suitable bactericide, followed by processing of the leaves to mechanically separate the gel matrix from the outer cortex. The separation of the gel from the leaf could be facilitated
by the addition of cellulose dissolving compounds, e.g., cellulose. Thus, the aloe liquid obtained is treated with activated carbon to decolourize the liquid and remove aloin and anthraquinones, which have laxative effects. This is especially so if the stabilized gel is to be used as a drink formulation for internal use. The resultant liquid is then subjected to various steps of filtration, sterilization and stabilization. The stabilized liquid, thus, obtained could be concentrated to reduce the amount of water or, alternatively, almost all of the water removed to yield a powder.
In cold processing technique, the entire processing steps are accomplished without the application of heat. Use of enzymes, like glucose oxidase and catalase, to inhibit the growth of aerobic organisms within Aloe vera gel and, thereby, sterilize it.
Other sterilization steps reported in the cold processingincludes exposing the gel to ultraviolet light, followed by a micron filtration.
In the heat treatment processing, sterilization is achieved by subjecting the aloe liquid obtained from the activated carbon treatment to pasteurization at high temperature.The biological activity of Aloe vera gel essentially remains intact when the gel is heated at 65°C for periods less than 15 min. Extended periods or higher temperatures have resulted in greatly reduced activity levels.
The best method of pasteurization is HTST (High Temperature Shot Time), followed by flash cooling to 5°C or below.
In all these processing techniques, stabilization can be achieved by the addition of preservatives and other additives. Use of sodium benzoate, potassium sorbate, citric acid, vitamin E is made in synergism and the resultant efficacy.
In traditional method the lower 1 inch of the leaf base (the white part attached to the large rosette stem of the plant), the tapering point (2-4 inch) of the leaf top and the short, sharp spines located along the leaf margins are removed by a sharp knife, then the
knife, is introduced into the mucilage layer below the green rind avoiding the vascular bundles and the top rind is removed. The bottom rind is similarly removed and the rind parts, to which a significant amount of mucilage remains attached, are discarded. Another portion of the mucilage layer accumulated on the top of the filleting table. This is of critical concern because the
highest concentration of potentially beneficial Aloe constituents are found in this mucilage, as this layer represents the constituents synthesized by the vascular bundle cells empowered by energy developed in the green (chlorophyll- containing) rind cells through suninduced photosynthesis.
The materials of the mucilage layer, subsequent to their synthesis, are distributed to the storage cells (cellulose-reinforced hexagons) of the fillet, a process that is accompanied by dilution owing to the water (the major fillet constituent), which is stored in the fillet cells. The fillet consists of more than 99% water.
The gel should be removed from the leaf without disrupting this area so that little or no latex(aloin) gets into the gel. If latex does get into the gel, it makes the gel very bitter. This bitter taste can be distinguished from the vegetable taste of the inner gel
with little experience. Just because Aloe juice is bitter, it does not mean that it contains 100% pure Aloe juice from the inner fillet. If the gel is extracted by mechanical methods, the Latex can mix with the inner gel resulting in a loss in purity. Only by hand filleting
the leaf it is able to cleanly separate the gel from the rind. The gel is then ground to a liquid and the pulp is removed. All this is performed at the farm, so only freshest leaves are processed. The hand filleting method is very labour intensive. Owing to this fact, machines have been designed and employed which attempt to simulate the hand filleted techniques, but generally the product contains higher amounts of the anthraquinones laxatives than the traditional hand filleted approach.
Enzymatic treatment of Aloe vera gel for a long duration prior to processing is detrimental to biologically active compound such as
polysaccharide which is the single most important constituent in aloe.
Relative humidity and temperature are two most important environmental parameters that affect product quality.
