OPTIMIZATION OF ULTRASOUND-ASSISTED EXTRACTION OF ANTHOCYANINS FROM NOVA SCOTIAN LOWBUSH BLUEBERRIES (Vaccinium Angustifolium Aiton L.)

Abstract

Ultrasound-assisted extraction of anthocyanin compounds from Nova Scotian lowbush blueberries was measured, modeled and optimized using response surface methodology (RSM). A Box-Behnken design was conducted to analyse the effect of extraction temperature, time, solvent concentration (acidified ethanol) and liquid to solid ratio on total anthocyanin content (TAC) and total phenolic content (TPC). The liquid to solid ratio had the most significant effect on TAC, followed by solvent concentration, while extraction temperature and time did not have a significant effect. Among the experimental range used for testing the variables, extraction with 60% solvent concentration, 50 mL/g liquid solid ratio, 65⁰C extraction temperature and 11.5 min extraction time resulted in the highest level of TAC (13.22 mg C3G/ g DW). The optimum point of TPC (47.05 mg GAE/ g DW) was obtained with solvent concentration 44.30%, liquid solid ratio of 50 mL/ g, extraction temperature 65⁰C and 19.99 min extraction time.