Fruit extracts

Plants are able to produce a large number of diverse bioactive compounds. High concentrations of phytochemicals, which may protect against free radical damage, accumulate in fruits and vegetables.

Antioxidants present in various plants have the capacity to scavenge free radicals and thereby reduce the risk of certain diseases. For instance, vitamins A, C, E, and phenolic compounds such as flavonoids, tannins, and lignins, found in plants, all act as antioxidants.

It is very crucial to develop effective and selective methods for the extraction and isolation of those bioactive natural products. Extraction involves the separation of active portions of plant or animal tissues from the inactive or inert components by using selective solvents in standard extraction procedures.

Fruit extract is extracted using different types of solvents, such as methanol, hexane, and ethyl alcohol, for the purpose of antioxidant extraction from various plants parts, such as leaves and seeds.

A typical extraction process may contain following steps (Handa et al., 2008):
1. Collection and authentication of plant material & drying
2. Size reduction
3. Extraction
4. Filtration
5. Concentration
6. Drying & reconstitution

Extraction methods include solvent extraction, distillation method, pressing and sublimation according to the extraction principle.

The need for selection of most appropriate extraction methodology is evident from the fact that when different methods are applied on same plant material with same solvent, extraction efficiency can vary significantly.

The products so obtained from plants are relatively impure liquids, semisolids or powders intended only for oral or external use.
Fruit extracts