Deep eutectic solvents and nonconventional technologies for blueberry-peel extraction: Kinetics, anthocyanin stability, and antiproliferative activity

Can the leftover peels of your favorite summer superfood be transformed into a potent weapon against cancer cells? By pairing eco-friendly liquid mixtures with advanced extraction tech, scientists are turning food waste into high-value medicine.

The quest for sustainable chemistry has led researchers to look closely at what we usually throw away: blueberry processing residues. Scientists tested five natural deep eutectic solvents (NADES) to recover valuable anthocyanins, using traditional acidified hydroalcoholic solutions as benchmarks. Among these green systems, the standout performer was paired with microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) and ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE).

Speed and efficiency were remarkable. MAE and UAE outperformed conventional methods, pulling yields up to 25.83 and 21.18 milligrams per gram of matrix in just 15 and 30 minutes, respectively. Peleg’s kinetic model helped map out the extraction dynamics, while resin adsorption successfully tackled extract concentration and NADES recycling.

Most excitingly, these green extracts showed serious biological muscle. Tested on human tumor HeLa cells and skin HaCaT cells using an MTS assay, the nonconventional extracts displayed strong antiproliferative activity far surpassing traditional extracts. Flow cytometry confirmed that apoptosis—programmed cell death—was the driving mechanism behind the tumor cell destruction.

Key Points

• Green NADES combined with microwaves and ultrasound extract blueberry anthocyanins.
• Microwave-assisted extraction yielded up to 25.83 mg/g of anthocyanins.
• Extracts showed strong antiproliferative activity, inducing apoptosis in tumor cells.