Recovery of bioactive compounds from Musa acuminata Cavendish bracts: sustainable valorization of waste from Brazil’s sweetest banana

This comprehensive study investigated the chemical composition and methods for recovering high-value compounds from the bracts of banana inflorescences. They were evaluated for the apolar fraction using CO ₂ supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) and Soxhlet (hexane), and for the polar fraction using microwave-assisted extraction (MAE), pressurized liquid extraction (PLE), and conventional reflux extraction (CRE). SFE with CO₂ at 25 MPa achieved the greatest recovery of essential fatty acids (palmitic, oleic, and linoleic) and the highest carotenoid content (2.94 mg β-carotene equivalent/100 g DW), surpassing conventional Soxhlet extraction. For polar compounds, PLE (water 150°C) yielded the highest extraction yield (53.09%), TPC (22.83 mg GAE/g DW), a good protein recovery (52.53%), and antioxidant capacities (ABTS: 489.36; DPPH: 170.35 µmol TEAC/g DW). MAE demonstrated superior extraction efficiency of bioactive compounds. Notably, for the first time, these phytochemicals were identified: taxifolin, eriodictyol, rosmarinic acid, and abscisic acid. The evaluation confirmed the environmental superiority of SFE, MAE, and PLE against conventional methods, achieving an A status in the Eco-scale. Therefore, this approach highlights that banana inflorescence bracts are rich in high-value bioresources with considerable applications in the food, pharmaceutical, and other industries. The correct choice of solvent and extraction method can help achieve sustainable development.