Enhanced production of ferulic acid and p-coumaric acid through optimized autohydrolysis pretreatment coupled with a dual-enzyme system of xylanase and feruloyl esterase for efficient corncob enzymatic hydrolysis

This study aims to enhance the utilization value of corncob by efficiently extracting ferulic acid (FA) and p-coumaric acid (pCA) through environmentally sustainable methods. The research explores a novel approach that combines autohydrolysis pretreatment with the synergistic effects of xylanase SrXyn10AR and feruloyl esterase BpFaeT132C-D143C. By conducting comprehensive optimization through single-factor analysis and response surface methodology (RSM) experiments, the optimal processing conditions were established: corncob particles of 40–60 mesh size were subjected to autohydrolysis at 165 °C for 34 min with a solid-to-liquid ratio of 1:90.8, followed by enzymatic hydrolysis at 43 °C, 90 rpm, and pH 5.5 for 2.5 h, utilizing BpFaeT132C-D143C and SrXyn10AR enzymes at a concentration of 1.1 U/mL each. Under these refined conditions, the yield of FA and pCA soared to 63.42%, marking a 2.42-fold increase compared to pre-optimization levels. Furthermore, this process yielded xylooligosaccharides as a valuable co-product, with a yield of 303.31 mg/g. In conclusion, this study develops an efficient and environmentally friendly strategy for extracting phenolic acids from corncob. By leveraging autohydrolysis pretreatment combined with dual-enzyme hydrolysis technology, this approach can pave a new way for the value-added utilization of corncob resources.