Optimization of supercritical carbon dioxide extraction process for total flavonoids in Suaeda salsa by orthogonal experiment

To determine the optimal method for extracting flavonoids from Suaeda salsa, this study investigated the impact of various factors, including extraction time, temperature, pressure, and ethanol concentration, on the yield of total flavonoids obtained through the utilization of supercritical carbon dioxide (SFE-CO₂) as the extraction medium. The study employed both single-factor experiments and orthogonal experiments to accomplish this objective. The single-factor experiment adopted the control variable method, with fixed parameters for each factor: Temperature of 40^o, pressure of 30 MPa, time of 1.5 hours, and ethanol concentration of 90%. The study found that the optimal extraction conditions were as follows: A temperature of 45^o, a pressure of 30 MPa, a duration of 2 hours and an ethanol concentration of 95%. Under these conditions, the total extraction yield of total flavonoids from Suaeda salsa achieved 10.25%, which is higher than the existing reports (6.57%). This study not only promotes the development and utilization of Suaeda salsa but also serves as a significant avenue for future research on the development of nutritional and healthy foods and pharmaceutical products derived from the natural resource Suaeda salsa.