Bioactive Compounds in Bael Fruit Pulp Waste: Ultrasound-Assisted Extraction, Characterization, Modeling, and Optimization Approaches

Abstract

Bael fruit is an abundant source of bioactive compounds that have importance in the food and pharmaceutical industries. The process of extraction of the bael fruit juice produced a higher percentage of bael fruit pulp waste (BFPW) (37.33 %), which was recycled for the extraction of bioactive compounds. Thus the bioactive compounds like polyphenols, flavonoids, and carotenoids were extracted from BFPW by using the ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) technique. The modeling and optimization of the extraction process were carried out by using the experimental design of response surface methodology (RSM). The ethanol concentration of 51.22 %, ultrasound amplitude of 51.45 %, and ultrasound treatment time of 6.11 minutes were obtained to be an RSM optimized values of extraction process variables. The lower values of root mean squared error (RMSE) and mean absolute error (MAE) and higher values of coefficient of determination (R2) indicated admissibility and acceptability of RSM. This extraction process of bioactive compounds has the potential to implement it on an industrial scale for the formulation of food additives and medicines.