Microwave-assisted extraction of turkish Aronia melanocarpa fruit: modeling, optimization and characterization of commercial products

Aronia melanocarpa (black chokeberry) is a fruit rich in phenolic compounds and well-known for its potent antioxidant capacity; however, comparative investigations comparing fresh berries and their processed counterparts remain scarce. In this work, microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) was optimized via response surface methodology (RSM) to enhance the recovery of antioxidant constituents from Aronia fruits cultivated in Türkiye. Extraction time (5–30 min), temperature (40–100 °C), solvent-to-solid ratio (mL/0.1 g dry sample, DS), and solvent composition (20–100%) were systematically modeled, while antioxidant performance was assessed using the CUPRAC assay. The optimal conditions (100 °C, 24 min, 34% ethanol, 14 mL per 0.1 g DS) yielded a maximum TAC value of 0.998 mmol TE/g DS. Both raw fruits and commercial preparations (juice, concentrate, dried fruit, jam, vinegar, gummies, herbal capsules) were then characterized by spectrophotometric assays (CUPRAC, Folin–Ciocalteu, pH differential) and by chromatographic analysis (HPLC-PDA). Major anthocyanins—including cyanidin-3-O-xyloside, cyanidin-3-O-arabinoside, cyanidin-3-O-glucoside, and cyanidin-3-O-galactoside—and phenolics such as chlorogenic acid, neochlorogenic acid, epicatechin, and gallic acid were identified and quantified. Substantial compositional differences were observed between fresh fruit and processed products, with pronounced losses of anthocyanins attributed to industrial processing. This study provides the first integrated assessment of Turkish Aronia fruits and related commercial products, by uniting MAE optimization with comprehensive antioxidant and phytochemical profiling, and offering new insights into their nutritional and functional potential.