Sequential extraction of Hericium erinaceus using green solvents

- Hericium erinaceus was extracted and fractionated with green solvents.
- Microwave hydrogravity (MHG) provided a dry stable product.
- MHG enhanced the extraction yields attained with supercritical CO2 extraction.
- Water based technologies solubilized 32-38% of the mushroom.

Hericium erinaceus was processed to obtain soluble fractions using a sequence of stages consisting on: microwave hydrogravity (400 W), supercritical CO2 extraction (20 MPa, 40 °C, 10% ethanol) and the remaining raffinates were subjected either to enzyme assisted extraction (3% protease + cellulase + pectinase, 50 °C, 3 h) or to non-isothermal autohydrolysis with water (200 °C). More than 40% of the mushroom could be solubilized with the proposed green processes, which provided extracts containing the phenolic and the polysaccharide fractions. The phenolic components could be further concentrated by adsorption onto polymeric resins and desorption with 96% ethanol to yield concentrates with ABTS radical scavenging capacity equivalent to 0.6 g of Trolox/g extract.