Patent ID: 8481099

Claim:
A process for converting citrus peel waste into citrus oil, citrus fiber, and naringin comprising: pressing citrus peels having residual vesicles attached thereto with sufficient pressure to release citrus juice from within the vesicles; removing the citrus juice from the pressed citrus peels; pulverizing the citrus peels in water to create a slurry of particles; separating the slurry of particles into citrus peel puree and a first supernatant, wherein the first supernatant comprises solubilized naringin and citrus oil; and collecting debittered citrus pulp from the citrus peel puree using a washing process, wherein the washing process comprises creating a suspension of the citrus peel puree in water, heating the suspension to a temperature ranging from about 150° F. to about 230° F. and then separating the suspension into debittered citrus pulp and a second supernatant.