Ultrasonic assisted extraction of polyphenols from bayberry by deep eutectic supramolecular polymer and its application in bio-active film

What if the key to greener chemistry and smarter food packaging was hidden inside a berry? Scientists just used ultrasound and a novel green solvent to unlock polyphenols from bayberry — and turned them into an active film.

Bayberry is delicious, nutritious, and often wasted. But this humble fruit holds a treasure: polyphenols, natural compounds with antioxidant and antimicrobial powers. The challenge? Extracting them without harsh chemicals. Enter a new class of green solvents: Deep Eutectic Supramolecular Polymers, or DESP — a smart upgrade of deep eutectic solvents, built from β-cyclodextrin and an organic acid.

Key Points

• DESP (β-CD + lactic acid, 1:1) is a novel green extractant.
• Ultrasonic-assisted DESP extraction yielded 28.85 ± 1.27 mg GAE/g polyphenols.
• DESP extract as plasticizer created a bioactive, antioxidant chitosan film.