Details

Autor(en) / Beteiligte

• Solarte, Daniela Alejandra
• Ruiz-Matute, Ana Isabel
• Chito-Trujillo, Diana M
• Rada-Mendoza, Maite
• Sanz, María Luz

Titel

Microwave Assisted Extraction of Bioactive Carbohydrates from Different Morphological Parts of Alfalfa ( Medicago sativa L.)

Ist Teil von

• Foods, 2021-02, Vol.10 (2), p.346

Ort / Verlag

Switzerland: MDPI AG

Erscheinungsjahr

2021

Quelle

Elektronische Zeitschriftenbibliothek - Frei zugängliche E-Journals

Beschreibungen/Notizen

• Despite the nutritional properties of alfalfa, its production is mainly for animal feed and it is undervalued as a food source. In this study, the valorization of alfalfa as a potential source of bioactive carbohydrates [inositols, α-galactooligosaccharides (α-GOS)] is presented. A Box-Behnken experimental design was used to optimize the extraction of these carbohydrates from leaves, stems, and seeds of alfalfa by solid-liquid extraction (SLE) and microwave-assisted extraction (MAE). Optimal extraction temperatures were similar for both treatments (40 °C leaves, 80 °C seeds); however, SLE required longer times (32.5 and 60 min vs. 5 min). In general, under similar extraction conditions, MAE provided higher yields of inositols (up to twice) and α-GOS (up to 7 times); hence, MAE was selected for their extraction from 13 alfalfa samples. Pinitol was the most abundant inositol of leaves and stems (24.2-31.0 mg·g and 15.5-22.5 mg·g , respectively) while seed extracts were rich in α-GOS, mainly in stachyose (48.8-84.7 mg·g ). In addition, inositols and α-GOS concentrations of lyophilized MAE extracts were stable for up to 26 days at 50 °C. These findings demonstrate that alfalfa is a valuable source of bioactive carbohydrates and MAE a promising alternative technique to obtain functional extracts.