Glycerol-Based Deep Eutectic Solvents for Simultaneous Organosolv Treatment/Extraction: High-Performance Recovery of Antioxidant Polyphenols from Onion Solid Wastes

Eleni Bozinou, Dimitrios Palaiogiannis, Vassilis Athanasiadis, Arhontoula Chatzilazarou, Stavros I. Lalas and Dimitris P. Makris ()
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Eleni Bozinou: Green Processes & Biorefinery Group, Department of Food Science & Nutrition, School of Agricultural Sciences, University of Thessaly, N. Temponera Street, 43100 Karditsa, Greece
Dimitrios Palaiogiannis: Green Processes & Biorefinery Group, Department of Food Science & Nutrition, School of Agricultural Sciences, University of Thessaly, N. Temponera Street, 43100 Karditsa, Greece
Vassilis Athanasiadis: Green Processes & Biorefinery Group, Department of Food Science & Nutrition, School of Agricultural Sciences, University of Thessaly, N. Temponera Street, 43100 Karditsa, Greece
Arhontoula Chatzilazarou: Department of Wine, Vine & Beverage Sciences, University of West Attica, Ag. Spyridonos Str., 12243 Athens, Greece
Stavros I. Lalas: Green Processes & Biorefinery Group, Department of Food Science & Nutrition, School of Agricultural Sciences, University of Thessaly, N. Temponera Street, 43100 Karditsa, Greece
Dimitris P. Makris: Green Processes & Biorefinery Group, Department of Food Science & Nutrition, School of Agricultural Sciences, University of Thessaly, N. Temponera Street, 43100 Karditsa, Greece

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 23, 1-15

Abstract: Onion solid wastes (OSW) are a food side-stream with high polyphenolic load and distinguished polyphenolic profile. This study was conducted in order to explore a novel methodology of production of polyphenol-enriched extracts with antioxidant properties from OSW, using glycerol and green deep eutectic solvents (DES), composed of glycerol/citric acid and glycerol/sodium acetate. The organosolv process developed was appraised by establishing models based on severity, but also response surface methodology. Using a linear model, it was, for the first time, proposed that there is a direct correlation between the yield of the process in total polyphenols and the combined severity factor. Furthermore, response surface optimization enabled the establishment of linear models to predict the effects of time and temperature on the total polyphenol extraction yield. Out of the solvents tested, the DES composed of citric acid and glycerol was found to provide the highest yield in total polyphenols (87.90 ± 3.08 mg gallic acid equivalents per g dry mass) at significantly higher combined severity. However, the extraction efficiency of this solvent was virtually equal to that of the two other solvents tested. On the other hand, the polyphenolic composition of the extract obtained with the glycerol/citric acid DES was characterized by exceptionally high quercetin concentration. This extract also displayed the highest antioxidant activity. Based on the evidence emerged, it was proposed that OSW polyphenol extraction with the DES glycerol/citric acid could be used for production of extracts enriched in the bioactive flavonoid quercetin, with enhanced antioxidant activity. Moreover, using this green methodology, 27.59 ± 0.09 g of pure quercetin could be recovered out of 1 kg OSW. Thus, this methodology could be employed as a sustainable means of producing quercetin, through valorization of food wastes in a biorefinery context.

Keywords: antioxidants; deep eutectic solvents; glycerol; onion solid wastes; organosolv; polyphenols; quercetin (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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