Effect of enzyme pretreatment in the ultrasound assisted extraction of finger millet polyphenols

Polyphenols from plant sources are increasingly recognized as functional ingredients with multiple health benefits. Finger millet (Eleusine coracana), a major millet grown in Asia and Africa is a significant source of polyphenols. The extraction of polyphenols from millets which are under-utilized has received less research attention compared to other plant matrices. Therefore, the present study was carried out to identify an effective method of extracting the polyphenols from finger millet (v. GPU 28) seed coat (FMSC). Two eco friendly methods namely ultrasonication (UA) and enzyme treatment followed by ultrasonication (EUA) were compared with the conventional heat reflux method (HR). The polyphenolic profile and content along with the antioxidant potential of the extract were evaluated. Phenolic yield increased 2.3 fold using EUA with xylanase (XUA) compared to heat reflux extraction (HR). However, yield with UA was equivalent to the conventional method. Total flavonoids increased 1.4 fold in UA and 1.3 fold in XUA, similarly, tannins also showed a significant increase (1.1 fold in UA and 1.2 fold in XUA). FTIR spectra revealed the presence of all phenolic functional groups and ESI-MS showed 80% similarity in the individual polyphenols in the extracts. Catechins, luteolin and cyanidin were identified in the UA and XUA treated samples, whereas, shikimic acid derivatives- caffeoyl and di caffeoyl were present only in XUA extracts. This is the first report on enhanced extraction of polyphenols from FMSC using a combination of enzyme treatment and ultrasonication, providing a green technology for utilization of polyphenols in nutraceuticals and functional foods.