Optimization of microwave extraction parameters of Achillea millefolium L. and evaluation of its bioactive components

The aim of the study is to find optimal conditions and develop a method for obtaining an extract of common yarrow suitable for use in the food industry using microwave radiation. Yarrow was harvested during the flowering period in the second half of June 2024. The collection site was the Muransky pine forest near the village of Lvovka, the Shigonsky District, the Samara Region. A study of the complex impact of the process parameters for producing yarrow extract on the content of soluble solids was conducted using mathematical modeling methods. The mass fraction of soluble solids in each extract was determined using refractometry. This indicator served as an optimization parameter during the experiment. After determining the optimal microwave extraction (MVE) parameters, a sample of the extract was obtained using a traditional method for comparative analysis of the content of biologically active substances. The extracts obtained by various methods (traditional and microwave oven) were determined for titratable acidity according to GOST ISO 7502013, vitamin C content according to GOST 2455689, anthocyanin content according to GOST 327092014, βcarotene content according to GOST R 540582010, as well as the total amount of phenolic compounds and flavonoids and antiradical activity. During the study, three key technological parameters determining the efficiency of the extraction process were identified and scientifically substantiated: microwave power (optimum 650 W), hydromodulus (1 : 30), and processing time (35–45 s). A comparative analysis of yarrow extracts showed that microwave extraction is superior to the traditional method in terms of dry matter extraction efficiency (18.9 % versus 14.4 %), demonstrates almost twofold superiority in antiradical activity ((5.4 ± 0.3) mg/ml versus (9.7 ± 0.4) mg/ml), allows for the preservation of 81 % more ascorbic acid, and promotes an increase in βcarotene content by 35 % and anthocyanins by 2.1 times. The obtained results confirm the potential of microwave extraction for the food industry and can be used in the production of functional foods.