The culture of sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) has been consolidated in different regions of Brazil, and presents interesting characteristics on agronomic aspects, oil composition and protein quality. The defatted sunflower meal has been used to feed, but browning limits its use for human consumption. Sunflower meal contains chlorogenic acid, a potent antioxidant, which in turn is oxidized by polyphenol oxidase, producing compounds that darken the meal and reduce the nutritional quality of protein. In this research chlorogenic acid extracts were obtained from defatted sunflower meal, using methanol or ethanol as solvent, at temperatures of 25, 40 and 60°C and contact times of 30 and 60 minutes in a three classification criteria experiments. There were significant differences between solvent, time and temperature (P<0.05). The highest removal efficiency of chlorogenic acid was of 40%, when methanol was used. Chlorogenic acid extracts obtained have potential for use as antioxidant.
Helianthus annuus L.; chlorogenic acid; sunflower; HPLC; extraction efficiency
