Agricultural Wastes 11 (1984) 73-77

Short Communication

Losses in Orange Peel Silage*

ABSTRACT

Orange peels at 13"5 % dry matter ( D M ) were ensiled in a 30 litre high-

density polyethylene airtight container j o r 90 days in a constant-
temperature room at 26 ° C. A drain opening was located at the base of the
container that permitted release of gases and seepage only. Total losses in
D M were 40"6 °/oo, composed of 7"5 % due to seepage and the remaining
33.1% calculated as gas losses. The rates of these losses during the silage
period were recorded.

INTRODUCTION

Orange peels are a by-product of the orange-juice industry and comprise

more than 50 % of the whole fruit by weight. The peels are available only
during the picking season (winter and spring), which lasts about 6
months. During this period they are produced at a rate greater than that
required for use directly as fodder, so conservation methods are needed to
enable full utilization of the material. Heat drying, used in the past, is no
longer economically feasible, mainly due to the price of fuel, However, it
has been general practice for many years to ensile orange peels, although
the silage is relatively expensive per unit of dry matter (DM) due to very
high losses ( > 50 ~o DM, as experienced in practice).
Seepage losses occur in bunker silos when forage contains less than

* Contribution from the Agricultural Research Organization, The Volcani Center.

No. 819-E, 1983 series.
73
Agricultural Wastes 0141-4607/84/$03.00 L Elsevier Applied Science Publishers Ltd,
England, 1984. Printed in Great Britain
74 Gilad Ashbell, Ezra Donahaye

30~oDM, while in high silos they can occur in even drier forage
(35 ~o DM) (Honig, 1980). Gas losses start with respiration by the live
material and continue throughout the fermentation process. Honig
(1968) investigated the process of loss involved during fermentation of
forage as a result of gas formation and seepage in relation to temperature.
However, the orange-peel by-product differs considerably from forage
silage and may not behave similarly.
This study was undertaken to investigate the dynamics of the
fermentation process of orange-peel by-products, in order to pinpoint the
causative factors for losses and to reduce their influence.

METHODS

About 29 kg of fresh orange peels were ensiled in 30-1itre, high-density

polyethylene airtight containers in a constant temperature room at 26 °C
for a 90-day fermentation period; there were three replicates. A drain
opening was located at the base of each container for the release of
seepage and gases. A loop in the drainage tube formed a one-way valve
preventing penetration of ambient air. Container weight and seepage
weight were measured 22 times during the fermentation period. Gas
weight losses were calculated from the difference between total weight loss
and seepage weight loss. DM of peels, both fresh and ensiled, was
determined by drying at 105°C to constant weight. Seepage DM was
determined by drying in a vacuum oven at 70 °C for 24 h. A filtrate of 10 g
wet material blended with 90ml distilled water was used for pH
measurement. Ash content was determined by heating to 600 °C for 2 h.
Total nitrogen (N) was determined by the Kjeldhal method and crude
protein was calculated by multiplying total N by 6.25.

RESULTS A N D DISCUSSION

Weight losses (expressed as percentage of total losses) due to seepage and

gas release over the fermentation period are given in Fig. 1. Total seepage
losses after 90 days reached 22"9~o(W:W) from the fresh peels,
representing 7-5~oDM weight loss calculated from the DM of the
material in the seepage as a percentage of the total DM of the silage.
Gas losses were calculated as the difference between initial and final
 Losses in orange peel silage 75

i i ! v , i , i ! , i w , i , I ,i
I00

90

80

7C

6c
I.L OBSS
0
W
5C sS
#s
Z
I
(IC 30,
laJ
e,
20i

1C

,: 75 3'o 1oo
DAYS (scare in tog)
Fig. 1. The rate of gas release ( 0 0 ) and seepage ( 0 - - - 0 ) during fermentation.

total weight minus seepage. This gave 4.4 ~ (w:w) of wet silage. Several
gas analyses indicated that CO2 comprised more than 97 ~ of the total.
Therefore it was concluded that the CO 2 was originating from the
decomposing organic matter and this was calculated as 33.1 ~o D M loss.
Thus the total D M losses during the silage period reached 40.6 ~ .
Analyses of the content of fresh peels and silage are given in Table 1 and
the changes in D M and pH of the seepage are given in Fig. 2.
Losses from seepage are more important than the mere sum of the
ingredients removed. The soluble material in the seepage includes water-
soluble carbohydrates, organic acids and other substances which, by their
absence, delay the drop in pH, and the fermentation process continues.

TABLE 1
Analysis of Fresh Orange Peel and Silage

Fresh peel Silage

D M (~o) 13.5 12.4

Crude protein (~o in DM) 6.4 8.3
Crude fiber (~o in DM) 12"9 17.9
Ash (~o in DM) 3"8 4.1
pH 4.7 4.3
 76 Gilad Ashbell, Ezra Donahaye

4.9

4.8

4.7
4.5

~n,, 4.5

D.- 4.4
IE
4.3
=.o~ S
o 4.2 p
g
m*
Z
4.0,
!
; 3.9
!
I
.~e 3.8
1
/
I
/
o. 3.7 \,
3.6
3 4 5 6 810 1520 3 0 4 0 5 0 100
DAYS (scare in tog)
Fig. 2. Changes in dry matter ( O O) and pH (O-- Q ) in the seepage d u r i n g
fermentation.

The release of gases and seepage in orange-peel silage is very rapid, more
than 50 % being released within the first 3 days under the experimental
conditions. However, the gas and seepage release process continued
throughout the fermentation period. The pH of the seepage was lowest
between the 3rd and 10th days, and then increased at a moderate and even
rate. The seepage D M increased over the initial 5 days, remained stable
during the following 5 days and then continued to increase until the end of
the trial. The increase in DM and pH after the 10th day seems to indicate
that, at this stage, the seepage was enriched with decomposed material.
The continued release of gases and seepage throughout the 90-day trial
indicates that the silage did not reach a stable state, and losses were still
occurring.
These preliminary results are in accordance with total losses incurred
on the farms, and indicate the need to improve the conservation methods.
Further trials are now under way incorporating modifications of the
fermentation process.
 Losses in orange peel silage 77

REFERENCES

Honig, H. (1968). Die V61kenroder Bilanzanlage fiir Silierversuche.

Wirtschafiseigene Futter, 4, 304-22.
Honig, H. (1980). Wie entstehen Silierverluste? Behelter und Verluste. D.L.G.
Mittelungen, 10, 569-71,

Gilad Ashbell & Ezra Donahaye

Agricultural Research Organization,
The Volcani Center, POB 6,
Bet Dagan 50250,
Israel