This study investigated the influence of extraction solvents with different polarity on the recovery of biologically active compounds from fruit and berry raw materials. The selection of an appropriate solvent is one of the key factors determining extraction efficiency, chemical composition, antioxidant properties, and safety of the final extract. Water, 98% ethanol, ethanol–water mixture (1:1), n-hexane, benzene, ethyl acetate, and chloroform were evaluated as extraction media due to their different physicochemical characteristics and extraction capacities. The average total phenolic content of extracts obtained with the ethanol–water mixture reached 701.5 mg GAE/100 g, exceeding extracts prepared with ethanol and water by 31.9% and 30.4%, respectively. Similarly, the average anthocyanin content was 161.75 mg GAE/100 g, which was substantially higher than that obtained using individual solvents. Although ethanol produced slightly higher flavonoid contents in several samples, the ethanol–water mixture provided the best overall performance when all quality indicators were considered together. The superior efficiency of the ethanol–water mixture can be explained by the synergistic effect of both solvents. Water promotes swelling of plant tissues and facilitates the release of hydrophilic compounds, whereas ethanol improves the extraction of moderately polar phenolics and anthocyanins. In contrast, non-polar solvents such as n-hexane, benzene, and chloroform exhibited considerably lower extraction efficiency and are less suitable for food applications due to safety concerns. Overall, the results confirm that the ethanol–water mixture is the most appropriate extraction solvent for obtaining antioxidant-rich fruit and berry extracts with high biological value and potential application in functional food production.
Influence of The Solvent Type on The Chemical Composition of Extracts and The Efficiency of Bioactive Components Election
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Abstract
References
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