Optimization of subcritical water extraction of phenolic compounds from Ziziphus jujuba using response surface methodology: evaluation of thermal stability and antioxidant activity

The jujube is mainly grown in the subtropical and tropical regions of Asia. Due to owning bioactive compounds such as polyphenols, it was considered as medicinal and nutritional plant in traditional medicine. This study aimed to extract phenolic compounds from Ziziphus jujuba using subcritical water (SCW) process. The possible combinations of temperature, time, and fruit-to-solvent ratio were investigated using response surface methodology. The total phenolic compounds (TPC) and radical scavenging capacity (RSC) of 975.94 mg/g and 53.98%, respectively, were recovered at optimum extraction conditions (170 °C, 74.49 min, and fruit-to-solvent ratio of 1:5.29). The extract obtained in SCW optimum conditions was put under thermal treatments including low temperature long time, high temperature short time, cooking, baking, and sterilization. The results showed after baking, the amount of TPC, RSC, and absorbance at 420 nm increased. The quantity of gallic acid, chlorogenic acid, p-coumaric acid, ferulic acid, and rutin increased significantly. The efficiency of SCW extract in retarding lipid oxidation in bulk oil and O/W emulsion model was investigated at 50 °C for 10 days. After 10 days, the peroxide value of bulk oil (1.1 meq O2/kg) containing SCW extract was lower than O/W emulsion model (2.2 meq O2/kg). The subcritical extracted phenolic compounds seem to have good antioxidant activity as well as thermal stability for using in food or drug industries.