Multicriteria comparison of green and conventional phenolic extraction technologies applied to Ficus carica L. leaves

Phenolic compounds are key bioactive constituents with antioxidant and antimicrobial properties relevant to food applications. This study provides a multicriteria comparison of conventional solvent extraction and green-assisted technologies for the recovery of phenolics from Ficus carica L. agro-industrial residues. Conventional solid-liquid extraction using solvents of different polarity was compared with ultrasound-assisted extraction and homogenisation-ultrasound-assisted extraction. Extracts were characterised in terms of phenolic profile, antioxidant capacity, and antimicrobial activity, while process sustainability was evaluated through life cycle and life cycle cost analyses. The highest phenolic recovery was achieved using 40% ethanol-water under HUAE (36.5 mgGAE/gDW; 28.6 mgQE/gDW), with antioxidant activity strongly correlated to phenolic content (R2 > 0.85), while extracts exhibited the strongest antimicrobial activity against Listeria monocytogenes. Life cycle assessment revealed a reduction of up to 90% in environmental impact for ultrasound-assisted extraction, rendering an efficient and relatively low-cost alternative for food-grade phenolic recovery.