Extraction of Phenolic Compounds from Banana Inflorescence (Musa acuminata) Using Supercritical Carbon Dioxide

Authors

  • N.F.S. Rosli Department of Food Technology, Faculty of Food Science and Technology, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia.
  • G.H. Chong Department of Food Technology, Faculty of Food Science and Technology, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia.
  • A. Abu Talib Department of Food Technology, Faculty of Food Science and Technology, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia.
  • M.S.H. Kamaruddin Department of Food Technology, Faculty of Food Science and Technology, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia.
  • F. Umanan Supercritical Fluid Center, Faculty of Food Science and Technology, Universiti Putra Malaysia, UPM, 43400 Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia.
  • N.H. Nik Hadzir Supercritical Fluid Center, Faculty of Food Science and Technology, Universiti Putra Malaysia, UPM, 43400 Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.54987/jobimb.v13i2.1141

Keywords:

Antioxidants, Banana inflorescence, Ethanol, Flavonoids, Supercritical carbon dioxide

Abstract

Banana inflorescence from Musa acuminata, frequently seen as agricultural waste, is a substantial source of bioactive compounds such as polyphenols and flavonoids. Efficient extraction methods can unlock its potential for functional food. This study aims to evaluate the impact of ethanol as a co-solvent concentration on extract yield, total flavonoid content (TFC), and antioxidant activity. Banana inflorescence was dried using an oven at 60 °C for 4 hours, ground into a fine powder, and stored in vacuum-sealed containers at -20 °C. For maceration, 10 g of the powder was combined with 100 mL of ethanol, agitated for 24 hours, and the ethanol was subsequently evaporated. For supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO₂) extraction, 10 g of powder was extracted using 50% and 100% ethanol as co-solvents under four conditions: 60 °C, 40 MPa; 60 °C, 25 MPa; 40 °C, 40 MPa; and 40 °C, 25 MPa. Extract yield, TFC, and antioxidant activity were measured, with flavonoid content quantified as quercetin equivalents (QE) and antioxidant capacity evaluated using IC50 values. The maximum yield (4.80%) was achieved using scCO₂ extraction with 100% ethanol at 60 °C and 40 MPa, attributed to enhanced solubility at elevated temperature and pressure. TFC was consistently higher with scCO₂ than maceration, reaching 552.94±0.84 mg QE/g using 50% ethanol at 60 °C and 40 MPa due to improved CO₂ density. Antioxidant activity peaked scCO₂ extraction using 100% ethanol at 40 MPa and 40 °C yielding the lowest IC50 (7.97±0.68), indicating superior radical scavenging. These results highlight scCO₂ extraction’s efficacy in maximizing bioactive compounds recovery and antioxidant potential from the banana inflorescence.

References

Sridhar A, Vaishampayan V, Senthil Kumar P, Ponnuchamy M, Kapoor A. Extraction techniques in food industry: Insights into process parameters and their optimization. Food Chem Toxicol. 2022; 166:113207. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fct.2022.113207

Yu M, Gouvinhas I, Rocha J, Barros AIRNA. Phytochemical and antioxidant analysis of medicinal and food plants towards bioactive food and pharmaceutical resources. Sci Rep. 2021;11(1):1–12. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-89437-4

Amornlerdpison D, Choommongkol V, Narkprasom K, Yimyam S. Bioactive compounds and antioxidant properties of banana inflorescence in a beverage for maternal breastfeeding. Appl Sci. 2021;11(1):343. https://doi.org/10.3390/app11010343

Begum YA, Deka SC. Chemical profiling and functional properties of dietary fibre rich inner and outer bracts of culinary banana flower. J Food Sci Technol. 2019;56(12):5298–308. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13197-019-04000-4

Shi L, Zhao W, Yang Z, Subbiah V, Suleria HAR. Extraction and characterization of phenolic compounds and their potential antioxidant activities. Environ Sci Pollut Res Int. 2022;29(50):75416–29. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-022-23337-6

Herrero M, Mendiola JA, Cifuentes A, Ibáñez E. Supercritical fluid extraction: Recent advances and applications. J Chromatogr A. 2010;1217(16):2495–511. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chroma.2009.12.019

Azwanida NN. A review on the extraction methods use in medicinal plants, principle, strength, and limitation. Med Aromat Plants. 2015;4(3):196. https://doi.org/10.4172/2167-0412.1000196

Reverchon E, De Marco I. Supercritical fluid extraction and fractionation of natural matter. J Supercrit Fluids. 2006;38(2):146–66. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.supflu.2006.03.020

Herrero M, Cifuentes A, Ibáñez E. Sub- and supercritical fluid extraction of functional ingredients from different natural sources: Plants, food-by-products, algae and microalgae: A review. Food Chem. 2010;98(1):136–48. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2005.05.058

Lau BF, Kong KW. Leong, KH, Sun, J, He X, Wang, Z, Mustafa, MR, Ling, TC, Ismail, A. Banana inflorescence: Its bio-prospects as an ingredient for functional foods. Trends in Food Science & Technology. 2020;97:14-28. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tifs.2019.12.023

Zou, F, Tan, C. Zhang, B. Wu, W, Shang, N.. The Valorization of Banana By-Products: Nutritional Composition, Bioactivities, Applications, and Future Development. Foods, 2022;11(20):3170. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11203170

Putra, NR, Rizkiyah, DN, Machmudah, S, Shalleh, LM, Che Yunus, MA. Recovery and solubility of flavonoid and phenolic contents from Arachis Hypogea in supercritical carbon dioxide assisted by ethanol as cosolvent. J Food Process Preserv. 2020;44(10): e14768. https://doi.org/10.1111/jfpp.14768

Chemat F, Abert Vian M, Ravi HK, Khadhraoui B, Hilali S, Perino S, et al. Review of alternative solvents for green extraction of food and natural products: panorama, principles, applications and prospects. Molecules. 2019;24(16):3007. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules24163007

Molino, A, Larocca, V, Di Sanzo, G, Martino, M, Casella, P, Marino, T, Karatza, D, Musmarra, D. Extraction of bioactive compounds using supercritical carbon dioxide. Molecules, 2018;24(4), 782. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules24040782

Da Silva, RP, Rocha-Santos, TA., Duarte, AC. Supercritical fluid extraction of bioactive compounds. TrAC Trends in Analytical Chemistry, 2016;76:40-51. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trac.2015.11.013

Sungpud, C., Panpipat, W., Sae Yoon, A. et al. Ultrasonic-assisted virgin coconut oil based extraction for maximizing polyphenol recovery and bioactivities of mangosteen peels. J Food Sci Technol. 2020;57:4032–4043 https://doi.org/10.1007/s13197-020-04436-z

Chang C, Yang M, Wen H, Chern J. Estimation of total flavonoid content in propolis by two complementary colorimetric methods. J Food Drug Anal. 2002;10(3):178–82. https://doi.org/10.38212/2224-6614.2748

Marina AM, Man YB, Amin I. Virgin coconut oil: emerging functional food oil. Trends Food Sci Technol. 2008;19(10):481–7. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tifs.2009.06.003

Srivastava N, Singh A, Kumari P, Nishad JH, Gautam VS, Yadav M, et al. Advances in extraction technologies: isolation and purification of bioactive compounds from biological materials. In: Elsevier eBooks. 2020. p. 409–33. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-820655-3.00021-5

Soquetta MB, De Marsillac Terra L, Bastos CP. Green technologies for the extraction of bioactive compounds in fruits and vegetables. CyTA J Food. 2018;16(1):400–12. https://doi.org/10.1080/19476337.2017.1411978

Zhang QW, Lin LG, Ye WC. Techniques for extraction and isolation of natural products: A comprehensive review. Chin Med. 2018;13(1):20. 10.1186/s13020-018-0177-x

Zarena AS, Sachindra NM, Sankar KU. Optimisation of ethanol modified supercritical carbon dioxide on the extract yield and antioxidant activity from Garcinia mangostana L. Food Chem. 2011;130(1):203–8. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2011.07.007

Lefebvre T, Destandau E, Lesellier E. Selective extraction of bioactive compounds from plants using recent extraction techniques: A review. J Chromatogr A. 2021;1635:461770. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chroma.2020.461770

Markom M, Hasan M, Daud WRW, Singh H, Jahim J. Extraction of hydrolysable tannins from Phyllanthus niruri Linn.: Effects of solvents and extraction methods. Sep Purif Technol. 2006;52(3):487–96. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.seppur.2006.06.003

Mustapa AN, Martin Á, Mato RB, Cocero MJ. Extraction of phytocompounds from the medicinal plant Clinacanthus nutans Lindau by microwave-assisted extraction and supercritical carbon dioxide extraction. Ind Crops Prod. 2015;74:83–94. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indcrop.2015.04.035

Patil, SM., Martiz, RM, Ramu, R, Shirahatti, PS, Prakash, A, Kumar, BRP, Kumar, N. Evaluation of flavonoids from banana pseudostem and flower (quercetin and catechin) as potent inhibitors of α-glucosidase: An in silico perspective. J Biomol Struct Dyn .2021;40(23):12491–12505. https://doi.org/10.1080/07391102.2021.1971561

Conde E, Hemming J, Smeds A, Reinoso BD, Moure A, Willför S, et al. Extraction of low-molar-mass phenolics and lipophilic compounds from Pinus pinaster wood with compressed CO2. J Supercrit Fluids. 2013;81:193–9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.supflu.2013.04.018

Nagavekar N, Singhal RS. Supercritical fluid extraction of Curcuma longa and Curcuma amada oleoresin: Optimization of extraction conditions, extract profiling, and comparison of bioactivities. Industrial Crops Prod. 2019;134:134–45. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indcrop.2019.03.061

Bosso A, Guaita M, Petrozziello M. Influence of solvents on the composition of condensed tannins in grape pomace seed extracts. Food Chem. 2016;207:162–9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2016.03.084

Truong DH, Nguyen DH, Ta NTA, Bui AV, Ha TD, Nguyen HC. Evaluation of the use of different solvents for phytochemical constituents, antioxidants, and in vitro anti-inflammatory activities of Severinia buxifolia. J Food Qual. 2019;2019:1–9. https://doi.org/10.1155/2019/8178294

Reátegui JLP, Da Fonseca Machado AP, Barbero GF, Rezende CA, Martínez J. Extraction of antioxidant compounds from blackberry (Rubus sp.) bagasse using supercritical CO2 assisted by ultrasound. J Supercrit Fluids. 2014;94:223–33. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.supflu.2014.07.019

Radzali SA, Markom M, Saleh NM. Co-solvent selection for supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) of phenolic compounds from Labisia pumila. Molecules. 2020;25(24):5859. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules25245859

Downloads

Published

12.12.2025

How to Cite

Rosli, N., Chong, G., Talib, A. A., Kamaruddin, M., Umanan, F., & Hadzir, N. N. (2025). Extraction of Phenolic Compounds from Banana Inflorescence (Musa acuminata) Using Supercritical Carbon Dioxide. Journal of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Biotechnology, 13(2), 81–87. https://doi.org/10.54987/jobimb.v13i2.1141

Issue

Vol. 13 No. 2 (2025)

Section

Articles

License

Copyright (c) 2025 N.F.S. Rosli, G.H. Chong, A. Abu Talib, M.S.H. Kamaruddin, F. Umanan, N.H. Nik Hadzir

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:

    1. Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0) that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
    2. Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
    3. Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).