Investigation on phenolic compounds stability during microwave-assisted extraction

The stability of 22 phenolic compounds of different families (benzoic acids, benzoic aldehydes, cinnamic acids, catechins, coumarins, stilbens and flavonols) has been studied under conditions of microwave-assisted extraction. The influence on the stability affected by the working temperature between 50 and 175 °C has been evaluated, and it has been concluded that all the compounds studied are stable up to 100 °C, whereas at 125 °C there is significant degradation of epicatechin, resveratrol and myricetin. Conclusions have been drawn on the relationship between the chemical structure and the stability of the compounds; it has been found that those that have a greater number of hydroxyl-type substituents are more easily degraded under the extraction conditions.