A biorefinery approach for the simultaneous obtention of essential oils, organic acids and polyphenols from citrus peels: Phytochemical characterization and bioactive potential

This investigation evaluates the valorization of citrus peels (lemon, tangerine, and orange) to recover both on-polar and polar fractions simultaneously. Citrus essential oils, abundant in limonene (74.4–33.7 %), exhibited great antioxidant activity (IC50 = 2.002 mg/mL) and Campylobacter jejuni halo inhibition (2.9 cm), particularly in tangerine and orange essential oils. The aqueous extracts were rich in quinic and malic acid (10–78.8 g/100 g), along with polyphenols (22.7–5.2 mg/g), such as diosmetin, luteolin, and eriodictyol glycosides. Tangerine’s aqueous fraction showed the highest inhibition of oxidative hemolysis (IC50 = 102 μg/mL) and Staphylococcus aureus (MIC = 2.5 mg/mL). Whereas lemon was most effective against lipid peroxidation (IC50 = 1.33 mg/mL) and gastric adenocarcinoma proliferation (IG50 = 83 μg/mL). Principal component analysis correlated the in vitro bioactivities with each compound and citrus type, underscoring the potential of citrus peels as a cost- effective, sustainable source of value-added compounds with tailored commercial applications.

Keywords

Citrus peels Essential oils Organic acids Phenolic compounds Bioactive properties Multiproduct valorization

URI

http://hdl.handle.net/10198/34523

Citation

Gómez-Mejía, Esther; Dias, Maria Inês; Pereira, Carla; Pires, Tânia C.S.P.; Palá-Paúl, Jesús; Rosales-Conrado, Noelia; León-González, María Eugenia; Calhelha, Ricardo C.; Roriz, Custódio Lobo (2025). A biorefinery approach for the simultaneous obtention of essential oils, organic acids and polyphenols from citrus peels: Phytochemical characterization and bioactive potential. Food Chemistry. ISSN 0308-8146. 486, p. 1-14