A Comparative Analysis-to Investigate the Antioxidant Profiles of Various Peels Using Different Extraction Solvents

Abstract

There's been a growing interest in substituting synthetic food antioxidants with natural alternatives, leading to research on vegetable sources and screening of raw materials to discover new antioxidants. The aim of this study was to explore how two commonly used solvents impacted the yields of phenolics, flavonoids, and the antioxidant properties of extracts from eggplant, beetroot, and potato peel. Among the three extracts, eggplant showed the highest percentage of phenolic content (64.3 mg/g), total flavonoid content (0.8 mg/g), and antioxidant activity (75.6%) when extracted with ethanol compared to beetroot and potato peel extracts. Various antioxidant-related phytochemical compositions, including Total Phenolic Content (TPC) and Total Flavonoid Content (TFC), were analyzed. Additionally, antioxidant activities were assessed using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging. The findings indicated that ethanol, as a solvent, exhibited the most robust antioxidant profile among the three peels. Given that different antioxidant compounds operate through diverse mechanisms, based on these results, extracts from eggplant, beetroot, and potato peel could serve as natural antioxidants due to their significant antioxidant activity. Consequently, they might be utilized as preservative ingredients in the food and/or pharmaceutical industries.