Comparison between Fermentation and Ultrasound-Assisted Extraction: Which Is the Most Efficient Method to Obtain Antioxidant Polyphenols from Sambucus nigra and Punica granatum Fruits?

Fruit extracts of Sambucus nigra L. (elderberry) and Punica granatum (pomegranate) have several applications in nutraceutical, cosmetics, pharmaceutical industries thanks to their richness antioxidant polyphenols, whose composition changes with the extraction method applied. We aimed compare efficiency fermentation extraction, recently applied by industries, ultrasound-assisted extraction–UAE, a well-known efficient technique, on yield polyphenols from elderberry fruits pomegranate fruit-peels. Extracts were obtained both methods, analyzed high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) capacities evaluated using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) Hydroxyl Radical Scavenging (HRS) assays. The main compounds detected caffeoyl quercetin derivatives, present higher amounts UAE extracts. In pomegranate, punicalagin constituents, also contents compared fermented ones. was more suitable for extracting anthocyanins pomegranate. addition, observed extracts, possibly due polyphenols. Therefore, despite recent wide applicability good performance process, may be considered S. P. used obtain polyphenolic industries.