Apple cider vinegar vs. ethanol as an extraction solvent in the ultrasound-assisted extraction of elderberry fruits

Abstract

<p>Traditional plant extraction methods commonly employ hazardous solvents that threaten human health. Considering these, the study sought to explore the efficacy of seven distinct types of apple cider vinegar (ACV) as an alternative solvent for isolating of polyphenols from dry elderberries as a raw material. In the pursuit of identifying the most suitable solvent, a conventional solid-liquid extraction (SLE) was executed, with a comparative assessment involving three different ethanol solvents (30%, 50%, and 70% ethanol solution, w/w). Subsequently, once the optimal solvent was determined, an ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) was carried out. The optimization process encompassed a range of sonication amplitudes (20-100%) and extraction durations spanning from 120 to 360 s. The extracts' characterization, including extraction yield (EY) and total phenolic content (TPC), was performed to ascertain the most favorable extraction parameters. The utilization of ACV in conjunction with a sonication amplitude of 100% and an extraction duration of 360 s yielded the highest TPC, amounting to 84.44 mg GAE/g dry extract (DE). In contrast, the lowest ethanol concentration (30%) produced the highest TPC, reaching 101.70 mg GAE/g DE when a sonication amplitude of 100% and an extraction time of 120 s were applied.</p>