Pulsed Electric Field-Assisted “Green” Extraction of Betalains and Phenolic Compounds from Opuntia stricta var. dillenii Prickly Pears: Process Optimization and Biological Activity of Green Extracts

Gómez-López, Iván; Pirozzi, Annachiara; Carpentieri, Serena; Portillo, María P.; Pataro, Gianpiero; Ferrari, Giovanna; Cano, M. Pilar

doi:10.3390/foods14172934

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Pulsed Electric Field-Assisted “Green” Extraction of Betalains and Phenolic Compounds from Opuntia stricta var. dillenii Prickly Pears: Process Optimization and Biological Activity of Green Extracts

by

Iván Gómez-López

^1,2,3

,

Annachiara Pirozzi

⁴

,

Serena Carpentieri

⁴

,

María P. Portillo

^2,3,5

,

Gianpiero Pataro

⁴

,

Giovanna Ferrari

^4,6,* and

M. Pilar Cano

^1,*

¹

Laboratory of Phytochemistry and Plant Food Functionality, Biotechnology and Food Microbiology Department, Institute of Food Science Research (CIAL) (CSIC-UAM), Nicolás Cabrera 9, 28049 Madrid, Spain

²

Nutrition and Obesity Group, Department of Nutrition and Food Science, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Lucio Lascaray Research Center, 01006 Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain

³

CIBERobn Physiopathology of Obesity and Nutrition, Institute of Health Carlos III (ISCIII), 01006 Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain

⁴

Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Salerno, Via Giovanni Paolo II, 132, 84084 Fisciano, Italy

⁵

BIOARABA Institute of Health, 01006 Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain

⁶

ProdAl Scarl–University of Salerno, Via Giovanni Paolo II, 132, 84084 Fisciano, Italy

^*

Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.

Foods 2025, 14(17), 2934; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14172934

Submission received: 14 July 2025 / Revised: 18 August 2025 / Accepted: 20 August 2025 / Published: 22 August 2025

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Green/Waste Biomass Utilization in Food Industry: Biorefinery Process and High Value-Added Products)

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Abstract

Opuntia stricta var. dillenii (OPD) fruits are rich in betalains and phenolic compounds, which are recognized for their potential health-promoting properties. This study focuses on the optimization of pulsed electric field (PEF)-assisted solid–liquid green extraction (SLE) from OPD whole fruit, using response surface methodology (RSM) experimental design to obtain green extracts rich in bioactive compounds. The optimal PEF pre-treatment conditions (electric field strength and energy input) were determined based on the cell disintegration index (Zp), followed by optimizing SLE conditions (temperature, time, and ethanol content). High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC-DAD-ESI-Qtof) was used to characterize the individual bioactive compound profile of the obtained OPD green extracts. Results showed that optimal PEF pre-treatment conditions were at 10.5 kJ/kg and 5 kV/cm, followed by SLE at 35 °C for 165 min, using water as the solvent. Conventional optimal SLE conducted at 45 °C, 8% ethanol, and 128 min was applied as the control process. The combined PEF-assisted SLE process enhanced total betalain and phenolic compound yields by 61% and 135%, respectively. Antioxidant activities (DPPH by 145%, FRAP by 28%) and anti-inflammatory potential (hyaluronidase inhibition by 19%) were also significantly improved. This study underscores the potential use of a PEF pre-treatment to improve obtaining green extracts rich in bioactive compounds with high biological activities from OPD whole fruits, using water as a solvent.

Keywords: Pulsed Electric Fields (PEF); extraction; Opuntia stricta var. dilenii; betalains; phenolic compounds; antioxidant activity; anti-inflammatory activity

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MDPI and ACS Style

Gómez-López, I.; Pirozzi, A.; Carpentieri, S.; Portillo, M.P.; Pataro, G.; Ferrari, G.; Cano, M.P. Pulsed Electric Field-Assisted “Green” Extraction of Betalains and Phenolic Compounds from Opuntia stricta var. dillenii Prickly Pears: Process Optimization and Biological Activity of Green Extracts. Foods 2025, 14, 2934. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14172934

AMA Style

Gómez-López I, Pirozzi A, Carpentieri S, Portillo MP, Pataro G, Ferrari G, Cano MP. Pulsed Electric Field-Assisted “Green” Extraction of Betalains and Phenolic Compounds from Opuntia stricta var. dillenii Prickly Pears: Process Optimization and Biological Activity of Green Extracts. Foods. 2025; 14(17):2934. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14172934

Chicago/Turabian Style

Gómez-López, Iván, Annachiara Pirozzi, Serena Carpentieri, María P. Portillo, Gianpiero Pataro, Giovanna Ferrari, and M. Pilar Cano. 2025. "Pulsed Electric Field-Assisted “Green” Extraction of Betalains and Phenolic Compounds from Opuntia stricta var. dillenii Prickly Pears: Process Optimization and Biological Activity of Green Extracts" Foods 14, no. 17: 2934. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14172934

APA Style

Gómez-López, I., Pirozzi, A., Carpentieri, S., Portillo, M. P., Pataro, G., Ferrari, G., & Cano, M. P. (2025). Pulsed Electric Field-Assisted “Green” Extraction of Betalains and Phenolic Compounds from Opuntia stricta var. dillenii Prickly Pears: Process Optimization and Biological Activity of Green Extracts. Foods, 14(17), 2934. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14172934

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Pulsed Electric Field-Assisted “Green” Extraction of Betalains and Phenolic Compounds from Opuntia stricta var. dillenii Prickly Pears: Process Optimization and Biological Activity of Green Extracts

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