Innovative and Green Extraction Techniques for the Optimal Recovery of Phytochemicals from Saudi Date Fruit Flesh

Saudi Arabia is one of the major producers date (Phoenix dactylifera) fruit. Date fruit flesh considered a healthy food due to presence natural antioxidants. Green and innovative supercritical fluid (SFE, 52.5 °C temperature, 27.50 MPa pressure, 5 mL CO2/min flow rate) subcritical (SubCO2, 250 extraction cycles, 29 6.8 MPa, 12 h, ethanol solvent) techniques were used produce extracts from four fruits (Sukari (SKFE), Ambara (AMFE), Majdool (MJFE) Sagai (SGFE)), prepared using 6 h Soxhlet at 70 for 16 n-hexane as solvent, taken control. SFE produced highest (p < 0.05) extract yields, whereas SubCO2 method recovered significantly higher amounts phytochemicals. Total phenolics (186.37–447.31 mg GAE/100 g), total flavonoids (82.12–215.28 QE/100 anthocyanins (0.41–1.34 mg/100 carotenoid (1.24–2.85 BCE/100 g) quantified in all extracts. The biological properties evaluation showed that had high antioxidant (17.79–45.08 µg AAE/mL), antiradical (191.36–34.66 µg/mL DPPH IC50), ferric-reducing (2.18–5.01 mmol TE/100 ABTS-scavenging (444.75–883.96 µmol activities. was best technique variety, terms both phytochemicals properties.