Enzyme-assisted Extraction of Polyphenols from Pomegranate (Punicagranatum) Peel

Objective: This study examines enzyme-assisted recovery of polyphenols from pomegranate peel using a multi-response optimization process. Methods: Enzyme pre-treatment factors (enzyme dose, incubation time, temperature and pH) were optimized for extract yield, total phenol concentration (TPC), radical scavenging capacity (RSC) and trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC). Results: Pre-treatment of pomegranate peel with 3.8% of cocktail enzyme at 6.7 pH and 41oC for 85 min produced a mass yield of 65.89 ± 2.64 g/100 g of crude extracts (3 fold increase compared to conventional solvent extraction) with a total phenols concentration of 277.93 ± 6.17 mg GAE/g dry weight, 398.70 ± 3.06 μmol trolox equivalence /g and 73.15 ± 0.69 μg/mL radical quenching capacity (IC50). Conclusion: Enzyme pre-treatment improved the efficiency of extraction of polyphenols from pomegranate peel.