Natural Deep Eutectic Solvents Characteristics Determine Their Extracting and Protective Power on Chlorogenic Acids from Sunflower Meal

Abstract

Sunflower meal is a residue of the edible oil extraction and a promising source for the extraction of phenolic compounds, especially the chlorogenic acid family. Their clean extraction and later conservation may be improved by the use of natural deep eutectic solvents (NaDES). This study evaluated the extraction and stability of phenolic compounds from sunflower meal using different formulations of NaDES and ethanol, as control. The principal aim was to find a clean extraction method for this rich bioactive compound by-product. The results showed that all solvents extracted similar phenolic compounds, but the most acidic NADES showed higher efficiency. In terms of stability, this acidic NaDES showed better protection against heat treatment and storage, while ethanol exhibited better stability under light exposure. The findings suggest that the NaDES composition, pH and other characteristics may influence both, extraction efficiency and stability, enabling the clean extraction and stabilization of phytochemicals from agro-industrial waste.

Keywords: phytochemicals, Phenolic compounds, Green solvent, bioeconomy