Czech J. Food Sci., X:X | DOI: 10.17221/26/2025-CJFS

Ultrasound-assisted ionic liquids extraction of carotenoids from Xinjiang apricots and evaluation of their antioxidant potentialOriginal Paper

Xiaohui Sun, Wanhui Guo, Na Jiang, Shuangyu Cao, Lei Ma, Shenghong Liu
Key Laboratory of Agro-products Quality and Safety of Xinjiang, Institute of Quality Standards & Testing Technology for Agri-products, Xinjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Urumqi, P.R. China.

Xinjiang apricot is favoured by consumers because of its distinctive aroma, high nutritive value, and abundant functional active substances. Carotenoids of apricot are efficient antioxidants that can protect the human body from free radical attack. However, the extraction, quantification, and antioxidant activity of carotenoids from Xinjiang apricots have not been reported. In this work, ultrasound-assisted ionic liquid (ILs) extraction and optimisation of carotenoids from Xinjiang apricots and to evaluate their antioxidant potential. Based on Box–Behnken design (BBD), the best conditions were IL/ethanol (RIL/E) ratio of 1 : 2, solid-liquid ratio (RS/L) of 1 : 3, extraction time of 17 min and number of extractions of 3. The content of carotenoid extracted by ultrasonic-assisted [Bmim][BF4] ILs was 32.98 ± 0.27 μg·g–1 that of traditional extraction method was 25.05 ± 0.35 μg·g–1. Moreover, ultrasonic-assisted ILs extraction technology can shorten the extraction time, simplify the extraction steps and increase the extraction amount. Meanwhile, in order to recover and reuse ILs, ILs-ethanolic solution was frozen at temperatures lower than –80 °C, allowing the ILs precipitation and separation from the ethanol solution. Meantime, the antioxidant potential of five Xinjiang apricot varieties were evaluated by DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) and ABTS [2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid)] assays in vitro and analysed by UV–vis spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy. The results showed Shushanggan apricot has the highest carotenoid content and the strongest antioxidant activity. In conclusion, this research further proves the advantage of ultrasonic-assisted ILs in carotenoid extraction and the potential to obtain valuable carotenoids from the apricot industries.

Keywords: Prunus armeniaca L.; response surface design; ultrasonic-assisted ILs extraction; antioxidant activity

Received: February 11, 2025; Revised: August 6, 2025; Accepted: August 8, 2025; Prepublished online: December 18, 2025 

Share...
Download citation
  • BibTeX (.bib)
  • Bookends (.ris)
  • EasyBib (.ris)
  • EndNote (.enw)
  • EndNote 8 (.xml)
  • ISI WoS (.isi)
  • Medlars (.medlars)
  • Mendeley (.ris)
  • MODS (.xml)
  • Papers (.ris)
  • RefWorks (.txt)
  • RefManager (.ris)
  • RIS (.ris)
  • MS Word (.xml)
  • Zotero (.ris)
    • Open full article

    Supplementary files:

    Download file26-2025_CJFS_ESM_OF.pdf

    File size: 2.02 MB

    References

    1. Alara O.R., Abdurahman N.H., Ukaegbu C.I. (2018): Soxhlet extraction of phenolic compounds from Vernonia cinerea leaves and its antioxidant activity. Journal of Applied Research on Medicinal and Aromatic Plants, 11: 12-17. Go to original source...
    2. Aman R., Schieber A., Carle R. (2005): Effects of heating and illumination on Trans-cis isomerization and degradation of β-carotene and lutein in isolated spinach chloroplasts. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 53: 9512-9518. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    3. Bi W., Tian M., Zhou J., Row K.H. (2010): Task-specific ionic liquid-assisted extraction and separation of astaxanthin from shrimp waste. Journal of Chromatography B, 878: 2243-2248. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    4. Bianchini C.B., Ramos-Souza C., Schappo F.B., Farina M., De Rosso V.V., Nunes I.L. (2024): Ionic liquid and ultrasound as a fast and innovative combination for improved extraction of Chlorella sorokiniana-derived carotenoids. Algal Research, 82: 103650. Go to original source...
    5. Cheng S.H., Khoo H.E., Kong K.W., Prasad K.N., Galanakis C.M. (2020): Extraction of carotenoids and applications. In: Galanakis C.M. (ed.): Carotenoids: Properties, Processing and Applications. Cambridge, Academic Press: 259-288. Go to original source...
    6. de Souza Mesquita L.M., Murador D.C, Neves B.V., Braga A.R.C., Pisani L.P., de Rosso V.V. (2021): Bioaccessibility and cellular uptake of carotenoids extracted from Bactris gasipaes fruit: Differences between conventional and ionic liquid-mediated extraction. Molecules, 26: 3989. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    7. Farag M.A., Ramadan N.S., Shorbagi M., Farag N., Gad H.A. (2022): Profiling of primary metabolites and volatiles in apricot (Prunus armeniaca L.) seed kernels and fruits in the context of its different cultivars and soil type as analyzed using chemometric tools. Foods, 11: 1339. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    8. Gulcin İ., Alwasel S.H. (2023): DPPH radical scavenging assay. Processes, 11: 2248. Go to original source...
    9. Kateryna Y., Konieczna K., Marcinkowski Ƚ., Kloskowski A. (2020): Ionic liquids in the microextraction techniques: The influence of ILs structure and properties. TrAC Trends in Analytical Chemistry, 130: 115994. Go to original source...
    10. Koocheki A., Taherian A.R., Razavi M.A.S., Bostan A. (2009): Response surface methodology for optimization of extraction yield, viscosity, hue and emulsion stability of mucilage extracted from Lepidium perfoliatum seeds. Food Hydrocolloids, 23: 2369-2379. Go to original source...
    11. Manzato L., Takeno M. L., Pessoa-Junior W. A. G., Mariuba L. A. M., & Simonsen J. (2018): Optimization of Cellulose Extraction from Jute Fiber by Box-behnken Design. Fibers Polymers, 19, 289-296 Go to original source...
    12. Murador D.C., Salafia F., Zoccali M., Martins P.L.G., Ferreira A.G., Dugo P., Mondello L., de Rosso V.V., Giuffrida D. (2019): Green extraction approaches for carotenoids and esters: Characterization of native composition from orange peel. Antioxidants, 8: 613. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    13. Nabi F., Arain M.A., Rajput N., Alagawany M., Soomro J., Umer M., Soomro F., Wang Z., Ye R., Liu J. (2020): Health benefits of carotenoids and potential application in poultry industry: A review. Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition, 104: 1809-1818. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    14. Ngueumaleu Y., Deutchoua A.D.D., Hanga S.S.P., Liendji R.W., Dedzo G.K., Ngamenia E. (2023): Probing the reactivity of 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) with metal cations and acids in acetonitrile by electrochemistry and UV-Vis spectroscopy. Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, 25: 5282-5290. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    15. Prakash Maran J., Manikandan S. (2012): Response surface modeling and optimization of process parameters for aqueous extraction of pigments from prickly pear (Opuntia ficus-indica) fruit. Dyes and Pigments, 95: 465-472. Go to original source...
    16. Sanahuja A.B., García A.V., Baenas N., Ferrando B.O., Periago M.J., Alonso N.C., Sánchez R., Todolí J.L. (2025): Valorization of pineapple core waste for sequential extraction of phenolic compounds and carotenoids: Optimization through ultrasound-assisted method and box-behnken design. Food and Bioprocess Technology, 18: 2618-2631. Go to original source...
    17. Schaich K.M., Tian X., Xie J. (2015): Hurdles and pitfalls in measuring antioxidant efficacy: A critical evaluation of ABTS, DPPH, and ORAC assays. Journal of Functional Foods, 18: 782-796. Go to original source...
    18. Shen Q., Zhu T., Wu C., Xu Y., Li C. (2022): Ultrasonic-assisted extraction of zeaxanthin from Lycium barbarum L. with composite solvent containing ionic liquid: Experimental and theoretical research. Journal of Molecular Liquids, 347: 118265. Go to original source...
    19. Sloan-Dennison S., Shand N.C., Grahama D., Faulds K. (2017): Resonance Raman detection of antioxidants using an iron oxide nanoparticle catalysed decolourisation assay, Analyst, 142: 4715-4720. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    20. ©tepánek V. (1975): (Mathematical statistics in chemistry). Prague, Státní nakladatelství technické literatury: 313-314. (in Czech)
    21. Wang J., Zhao H., Xue X., Han Y., Wang X., Sheng Z. (2024): Application of ionic liquid ultrasound-assisted extraction (IL-UAE) of lycopene from guava (Psidium guajava L.) by response surface methodology and artificial neural network-genetic algorithm. Ultrasonics Sonochemistry, 106: 106877. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    22. Wo³osiak R., Dru¿yñska B., Derewiaka D., Piecyk M., Majewska E., Ciecierska M., Worobiej E., Pakosz P. (2022): Verification of the conditions for determination of antioxidant activity by ABTS and DPPH assays - A practical approach. Molecules, 27: 50. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    23. Yang S., Li X., Zhang H. (2024): Ultrasound-assisted extraction and antioxidant activity of polysaccharides from Tenebrio molitor. Scientific Reports, 14: 28526. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    24. Zhao H., Wang J., Han Y., Wang X., Sheng Z. (2024): Optimization of process conditions for ionic liquid-based ultrasound-enzyme-assisted extraction of resveratrol from Polygonum Cuspidatum. Ultrasonics Sonochemistry, 108: 106973. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    25. Zhou W., Niu Y., Ding X., Zhao S., Li Y., Fan G., Zhang S., Liao K. (2020): Analysis of carotenoid content and diversity in apricots (Prunus armeniaca L.) grown in China. Food Chemistry, 330: 127223. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...

    This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY NC 4.0), which permits non-comercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original publication is properly cited. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.


    Return