Supercritical fluid extraction of daidzein and genistein isoflavones from soybean hypocotyl after hydrolysis with endogenous β-glucosidases

An optimal condition of supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) for isoflavone aglycones (daidzein and genistein) in soybean hypocotyls previously subjected to thermohydration at pH 5.0 and a temperature of 50 °C for 6, 12 and 18 h was developed. Different temperatures, pressures and cosolvents (methanol, ethanol, and acetonitrile) was tested and compared with solid–liquid extraction using aqueous methanol solution (80% v v⁻¹) conducted in parallel for comparison. The extraction conditions were 50–70 °C, 176–380 bar, adding 0, 5, 10 mol% of cosolvents 80% in water as a modifier. The results from SC–CO₂ showed that the cosolvent and pressure have significant effects in the extraction efficiency. It was found that the extraction conditions promoting the highest extraction of daidzein and genistein were at the temperature of 60 °C, pressure of 380 bar and both static and dynamic extraction of 15 min with the addition of 10% acetonitrile (80% v v⁻¹). The maximum amounts of daidzein and genistein extracted by each method were solid–liquid extraction (70.07 mg 100 g⁻¹) and carbon dioxide–acetonitrile (17.97 mg 100 g⁻¹). The yield of daidzein and genistein achieved by a 30 min SC–CO₂ extraction on soybean hypocotyls after 12 h soaking time was markedly improved by the addition of a modifier (acetonitrile) to the CO₂ fluid. HPLC analysis of the obtained extracts revealed that extraction of isoflavone aglycones by SC–CO₂ was 4.78 and 13.19 mg 100 g⁻¹ for daidzein and genistein, respectively. The contents of daidzein and genistein obtained in the solid–liquid extraction were superior to 86% and 63%, respectively, compared to supercritical extraction.