Efficient Recovery of Phenolic Compounds from Pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) Peel Using Mechanochemical-Assisted Extraction for In Vitro Biological Activities
摘要
Pomegranate peel (PoP) is a valuable by-product rich in phenolic compounds with strong antioxidant potential. This study applied mechanochemical-assisted extraction (MCAE) to recover phenolics efficiently from PoP using eight solid reagents. The extraction parameters were optimized through response surface methodology based on a central composite design. Ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with triple time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Triple-TOF/MS) tentatively identified twelve major phytochemicals. These phytochemicals include hydrolysable tannins, flavonoids, and phenolic acids. The optimal MCAE conditions were a liquid–solid ratio of 50 mL/g, an extraction temperature of 78 °C, and an extraction time of 67 min. Under these conditions, a total of 12 phytochemicals were identified and the total phenolic content reached 258.09 ± 1.35 mg GAE/g dry weight. The extract exhibited high antioxidant capacity (DPPH of 526.54 ± 13.38 μmol TE/g DW, ABTS of 1315.65 ± 15.16 μmol TE/g DW, FRAP of 798.57 ± 11.30 μmol TE/g DW, and RA of 1353.87 ± 23.43 μmol TE/g DW) and strong inhibitory activity against α-glucosidase and α-amylase. These results demonstrate that MCAE represents an eco-friendly and cost-effective technique for recovering bioactive phenolic compounds from PoP, offering promising applications as natural antioxidants and enzyme inhibitors in functional food formulations, providing new opportunities for the food industries. These findings provide a new strategy for valorizing agricultural by-products into functional ingredients for food applications.