HPLC-DAD-ESI-MS2 analytical profile of extracts obtained from purple sweet potato after green ultrasound-assisted extraction

• Ultrasound-assisted extraction of valuable compounds from PSP.
• Decrease in extraction time to get the same amount of valuable compounds after UAE.
• Different anthocyanin and non-anthocyanin HPLC-DAD-ESI-MS2 profile after UAE vs CSE.
• Higher number of anthocyanin and non-anthocyanin compounds identified after UAE.

Ultrasound pre-treatment (UAE) was applied to assist the extraction of valuable compounds (polyphenols (especially anthocyanins), and proteins) from purple sweet potato (PSP). Under optimum conditions (ultrasound time (40 min); supplementary hot extraction (80 °C) up to 120 min; pH: 2.5; ethanol concentration: 58%), the highest concentrations of polyphenols (3.877 mg/g), anthocyanins (0.293 mg/g), and proteins (0.753 mg/g) were found, with minimal specific energy consumption (8406 J/mg).Moreover, anthocyanin and non-anthocyanin polyphenols in PSP extract from optimized extraction temperature were identified using HPLC-DAD-ESI-MS2. The major identified anthocyanins were peonidin-3-caffeoyl-p-hydroxybenzoyl sophoroside-5-glucoside, peonidin-3-(6″-caffeoyl-6‴-feruloyl sophoroside)-5-glucoside, cyanidin-3-caffeoyl-p-hydroxybenzoyl sophoroside-5-glucoside, whereas the major identified non-anthocyanin molecules were quinic acid, chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, and chlorogenic acid-3-glucose. The amount of the predominant anthocyanin and non-anthocyanin compounds from PSP extract obtained after UAE was higher than that extracted after conventional solvent extraction. The results obtained in this work demonstrated the efficiency of UAE for the recovery of anthocyanins from PSP.