Abstract
Sustainable and environmentally friendly extraction methods for natural bioactive compounds are gaining significant attention in the food, beverage, and nutraceutical industries. Among these bioactive compounds, anthocyanins, which are potent antioxidants, have garnered particular interest due to their health-promoting properties. Banana inflorescence, an underutilized agricultural by-product, is a rich source of bioactive compounds. However, the extraction of bioactive compounds is often energy-intensive, which raises concerns about environmental sustainability. Accelerated solvent extraction (ASE) has emerged as an efficient and less energy-consuming method for isolating these compounds. This study investigates the optimization of ASE for the extraction of phenolic compounds, including anthocyanins, from fresh banana inflorescence. The effect of extraction parameters, including temperature (60, 80, and 100 °C), solvent type (water, ethanol, methanol), and solvent composition (50% ethanol + 50% water, 75% ethanol + 25% water, 100% ethanol, 50% methanol + 50% water, 75% methanol + 25% water, 100% methanol, water), on the extraction efficiency was evaluated. The results showed that the most effective extraction conditions were 75% methanol + 25% water at 100 °C, yielding the highest concentrations of total phenolics (1239.58 ± 20.83 mg/100 g), antioxidant activity (2.21 ± 0.03 mg/mL), and anthocyanins (22.82 mg ± 1.91/100 g). LC-UV-MS analysis revealed three primary anthocyanidins: cyanidin-3-rutinoside, delphinidin-3-rutinoside, and petunidin-3-rutinoside. These findings suggest that banana inflorescence, an agricultural waste product, can be efficiently utilized as a source of bioactive compounds using ASE, contributing to sustainable practices in the food and nutraceutical industries. The optimized extraction process provides a promising approach for the valorization of banana inflorescence, enhancing its potential as a functional ingredient in food products.