Ultrasound-Assisted Green Natural Deep Eutectic Solvent Extraction of Flavonoids from Wild Blueberry: Process Optimization, Composition Identification, and Antioxidant Activity

What if the secret to unlocking the antioxidant power of wild blueberries lies not in harsh chemicals, but in a simple mix of betaine and urea? This green solvent duo just outperformed traditional ethanol by 44%.

Wild blueberries are tiny, but their potential is huge. To tap into their flavonoid treasure, scientists have turned to an eco-friendly hero: natural deep eutectic solvents, or NADES. These green solvents are like molecular teamwork, where components like betaine and urea join forces to dissolve what we want. In this study, 22 NADES were tested, and betaine/urea (BU) emerged as the champion for pulling flavonoids out of the fruit.

Key Points

• Betaine/urea NADES beats ethanol with 1.44-fold higher yield.
• Optimized: 3.3:1 urea:betaine, 60% water, 330 W, 30 min.
• UABU extracts key flavonoids and boosts antioxidant activity.