Comparative Evaluation of Green Extraction Technologies for Phenolic Compounds from Algerian Blackthorn (Prunus spinosa L.): Antioxidant, Antimicrobial, and Phytochemical Insights

Forget expensive solvents and harsh processes—green extraction can unlock the hidden power of a wild Mediterranean fruit, and one method just proved it's the champion.

Blackthorn, a wild fruit often overlooked, is packed with bioactive phenolic compounds that could boost food and nutraceutical products. But how do we get them out sustainably? Researchers compared four green extraction techniques—pressurized liquid, microwave, ultrasound, and Ultra-Turrax—on Algerian blackthorn fruits, each under optimized conditions.

Pressurized liquid extraction stole the spotlight, delivering the highest total phenolics (21.89 mg gallic acid equivalents per gram dry weight) and flavonoids (8.18 mg catechin equivalents per gram). Meanwhile, microwave-assisted extraction excelled at anthocyanin recovery (3.19 mg cyanidin-3-glucoside equivalents per gram). Antioxidant tests showed similar trends for both methods, suggesting they're equally powerful in fighting free radicals.

The most effective extract also showed selective antimicrobial activity against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, Acinetobacter baumannii, and Bacillus subtilis—troublesome pathogens. Chemical analysis revealed a profile rich in flavonoids, especially quercetin derivatives, and hydroxycinnamic acids.

This study positions pressurized liquid extraction as a promising green technology for valorizing blackthorn fruits, turning an underutilized resource into a valuable source of phenolics for food applications.

Key Points

• Pressurized liquid extraction yields highest phenolics and flavonoids.
• Microwave-assisted extraction best for anthocyanin recovery.
• Extracts show selective antimicrobial activity against resistant bacteria.