Application of innovative technologies for production of plant extracts as ingredients for functional foods

1) microwave extraction of Dalmatian sage (Salvia officinalis L.) extracts that aimed to evaluate the influence of solvents (30% ethanol/water, v/v ; 30% acetone/water, v/v ; water), time (3, 5, 7, 9, 10 min), temperature (30, 50, 60, 80 °C), and acidity (addition of 10 % HCl) on polyphenolic recovery. Total polyphenols were best extracted with 30% acetone/without HCl/T=80°C for 10 minutes. The main polyphenol, rosmarinic acid was best extracted with 30% ethanol/with HCl at T=80°C for 10 minutes ; 2) cold atmospheric gas phase plasma extraction of anthocyanins from pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) juice. Plasma treatment covered different operating settings: (i) time (3, 5, 7 min), (ii) juice volume (3, 4, 5 cm3), and (iii) plasma gas flow (0.75, 1, 1.25 dm3/min). Anthocyanins were best stable at: 3 min of treatment time, 5 cm3 sample volume, and 0.75dm3/min gas flow. Anthocyanin content was higher for 21-35% in plasma treated samples vs. fresh juices. In summary, it was shown that plasma treatment had positive influences on anthocyanins stability in cloudy pomegranate juice ; 3) cold atmospheric gas phase plasma of chokeberry juice (Aronia melancarpa) extracts that aimed to evaluate influence of different treatment times and juice volumes under constant gas flow (0.75 dm3min-1) on polyphenolic content. All samples were compared to the fresh and pasteurized chokeberry juice (80°C/2min). Plasma treatment better preserved hydroxycinnamic acids, but showed loss of anthocyanins. Pasteurisation negatively affected hydroxycinnamic acids, while flavonols and anthocyanins were well preserved.