Optimisation of ultrasound‐assisted extraction of natural antioxidants from mustard seed cultivars

Abstract BACKGROUND Modified mustard varieties can produce edible oil with reduced amounts of erucic acid and glucosinolates and enhanced antioxidant potential. Therefore, this work focused on the optimisation of the ultrasound‐assisted extraction of compounds with high antioxidant capacity from three white mustard seed cultivars using response surface methodology. RESULTS The predicted optimum solvent polarity (57.2, 56.5 and 57.6) and ultrasound power‐to‐sonication time ratio (4.5, 4.8 and 4.3 W min −1 ) resulted in antioxidant capacities determined by the ferric‐reducing antioxidant power ( FRAP ) assay [54.37, 65.75 and 68.55 mmol Trolox equivalent ( TE ) kg −1 ] and the 2,2′‐diphenyl‐1‐picrylhydrazyl ( DPPH ) method (141.65, 175.26 and 185.10 mmol TE kg −1 ) and total phenolics content (23.70, 27.16 and 11.29 mg sinapic acid g −1 ) for extracts obtained from one traditional and two modified mustard seed varieties. The highest FRAP and DPPH values (69.51 and 197.73 mmol TE kg −1 ) revealed 50% methanolic extract prepared from modified mustard seed cultivar without erucic acid and glucosinolates treated with ultrasound for 30 min (ultrasound power/ultrasound time = 4 W min −1 ). CONCLUSION Ultrasound‐assisted extraction was found to be a more rapid, convenient and appropriate extraction method with higher yield of antioxidants, shorter time and lower solvent consumption in comparison to conventional extraction. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry