Foods and Raw Materials Foods and Raw Materials Foods and Raw Materials 2308-4057 2310-9599 108800 10.21603/2308-4057-2026-2-687 NCUESU Research Article Research Article Research Article Whey and water-ethanol solution as extractants of biologically active substances: Comparative analysis Whey and water-ethanol solution as extractants of biologically active substances: Comparative analysis https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7774-8859 Stepanova Anna A. Stepanova Anna A. https://orcid.org/0009-0004-7824-3982 Mitina Alice D. Mitina Alice D. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9061-1256 Velichkovich Natalia S. Velichkovich Natalia S. velichkovich@yandex.ru https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2960-0216 Kozlova Oksana V. Kozlova Oksana V. https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0166-2527 Larichev Timothy A. Larichev Timothy A. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9583-9161 Proskuryakova Larisa A. Proskuryakova Larisa A. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4026-5789 Martirosyan Vladimir V. Martirosyan Vladimir V. Kemerovo State University Kemerovo Россия Kemerovo State University Kemerovo Russian Federation Kemerovo State University Kemerovo Россия Kemerovo State University Kemerovo Russian Federation Kemerovo State University Kemerovo Россия Kemerovo State University Kemerovo Russian Federation Kemerovo State University Kemerovo Россия Kemerovo State University Kemerovo Russian Federation Kemerovo State University Kemerovo Россия Kemerovo State University Kemerovo Russian Federation Kemerovo State University Kemerovo Россия Kemerovo State University Kemerovo Russian Federation Scientific Research Institute for the Baking Industry Moscow Россия Scientific Research Institute for the Baking Industry Moscow Russian Federation 27 11 2025 27 11 2025 14 2 432 442 19 05 2025 05 08 2025 https://jfrm.ru/en/issues/23601/24022/

Industrial whey wastes contain organic substances that cause serious harm to the environment, which makes whey recycling a relevant research objective. Whey can serve as an extractant of biologically active substances from plant raw materials. This research compared a 70% aqueous-ethanol solution and whey as extractants of bioactive components from a plant blend of Heracleum sibiricum L., Syringa vulgaris L., Arctium tomentosum Mill., Achillea millefolium L., Thymus vulgaris L., and Pulmonaria officinalis L. The method of high-performance liquid chromatography revealed catechin, chlorogenic acid, astragalin, ferulic acid, coumaric acid, and some trace amounts of other compounds. The samples subjected to water-ethanol extraction demonstrated a better quantitative and qualitative profile than those processed with whey: 637.92 vs. 380.45 mg/kg for chlorogenic acid, 93.05 vs. 2.34 mg/kg for coumaric acid, and 53.12 vs. 3.09 mg/kg for astragalin. Whey proved unable to extract catechin and ferulic acid. However, whey made it possible to obtain compounds that water-ethanol solution failed to extract, namely rutin and caffeic acid. By fractionating the extracts and isolating individual biologically active substances, we obtained chlorogenic acid (90.0%), ferulic acid (92.0%), and coumaric acid (88.0%) with water and ethanol, as well as caffeic acid (84.5%) and rutin (78.0%) with whey. Both ethanol and whey proved industrially relevant and demonstrated good prospects for commercial extraction of biologically active substances from various plant raw materials.

Industrial whey wastes contain organic substances that cause serious harm to the environment, which makes whey recycling a relevant research objective. Whey can serve as an extractant of biologically active substances from plant raw materials. This research compared a 70% aqueous-ethanol solution and whey as extractants of bioactive components from a plant blend of Heracleum sibiricum L., Syringa vulgaris L., Arctium tomentosum Mill., Achillea millefolium L., Thymus vulgaris L., and Pulmonaria officinalis L. The method of high-performance liquid chromatography revealed catechin, chlorogenic acid, astragalin, ferulic acid, coumaric acid, and some trace amounts of other compounds. The samples subjected to water-ethanol extraction demonstrated a better quantitative and qualitative profile than those processed with whey: 637.92 vs. 380.45 mg/kg for chlorogenic acid, 93.05 vs. 2.34 mg/kg for coumaric acid, and 53.12 vs. 3.09 mg/kg for astragalin. Whey proved unable to extract catechin and ferulic acid. However, whey made it possible to obtain compounds that water-ethanol solution failed to extract, namely rutin and caffeic acid. By fractionating the extracts and isolating individual biologically active substances, we obtained chlorogenic acid (90.0%), ferulic acid (92.0%), and coumaric acid (88.0%) with water and ethanol, as well as caffeic acid (84.5%) and rutin (78.0%) with whey. Both ethanol and whey proved industrially relevant and demonstrated good prospects for commercial extraction of biologically active substances from various plant raw materials.

 Extraction biologically active substances whey plant extract extractant fractionation blending Extraction biologically active substances whey plant extract extractant fractionation blending This research was supported by the Russian Science Foundation, grant No. 23-16-00113. This research was supported by the Russian Science Foundation, grant No. 23-16-00113.

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