Determination of volatiles, antioxidant activity, and polyphenol content in the postharvest waste of Ocimum basilicum L

Food Chem. 2022 May 1:375:131692. doi: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2021.131692. Epub 2021 Nov 28.

Abstract

The treatment of postharvest wastes is an integral part of the food value chain. Therefore, Ocimum basilicum L. residues were dried in an oven and a microwave. Volatiles were extracted using hydrodistillation, headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) and then analyzed by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS). Thirty volatiles were identified in raw material, with β-linalool, methyleugenol, methylcinnamate, and estragole predominating. Meanwhile, 24 and 18 volatiles were detected in the oven- and microwave-dried samples, with a significant decrease of methyleugenol content. The highest radical scavenging ability and total phenolic content were achieved for microwaved wastes using photochemiluminescence, DPPH, and Folin-Ciocalteu test. Moreover, 8 phenolic acids and 9 flavonoids were identified in the LC-MS/MS analysis, with significant contents of rosmarinic acid and luteolin (1042.45 and 11.68 µg/g of dry matter, respectively) in the microwaved basil. This experiment pointed out that microwaved basil wastes could be re-used in the food, pharmacy and/or cosmetic industries.

Keywords: Aroma composition; Hydrodistillation; Ocimum basilicum; Phenolics; SPME; Waste management.

MeSH terms

  • Antioxidants
  • Chromatography, Liquid
  • Ocimum basilicum*
  • Polyphenols
  • Tandem Mass Spectrometry

Substances

  • Antioxidants
  • Polyphenols