A Hybrid RSM-ANN-GA Approach on Optimization of Ultrasound-Assisted Extraction Conditions for Bioactive Component-Rich <i>Stevia rebaudiana</i> (Bertoni) Leaves Extract
Kashif Ameer,
Saqib Ameer,
Young-Min Kim,
Muhammad Nadeem,
Mi-Kyung Park,
Mian Anjum Murtaza,
Muhammad Asif Khan,
Muhammad Adnan Nasir,
Ghulam Mueen-ud-Din,
Shahid Mahmood,
Tusneem Kausar,
Muhammad Abubakar
Affiliations
Kashif Ameer
Institute of Food Science and Nutrition, University of Sargodha, Sargodha 40100, Pakistan
Saqib Ameer
Department of Computer Science & Information Technology, Faculty of Information Technology, The University of Lahore, Lahore Campus, Defense Road, Lahore 54000, Pakistan
Young-Min Kim
Department of Food Science & Technology, Chonnam National University, Gwangju 61186, Korea
Muhammad Nadeem
Institute of Food Science and Nutrition, University of Sargodha, Sargodha 40100, Pakistan
Mi-Kyung Park
School of Food Science and Biotechnology, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 41566, Korea
Mian Anjum Murtaza
Institute of Food Science and Nutrition, University of Sargodha, Sargodha 40100, Pakistan
Muhammad Asif Khan
Department of Food Science and Technology, Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Bahawalpur 63100, Pakistan
Muhammad Adnan Nasir
University Institute of Diet and Nutritional Sciences, The University of Lahore, Gujrat Campus, Gujrat 50700, Pakistan
Ghulam Mueen-ud-Din
Institute of Food Science and Nutrition, University of Sargodha, Sargodha 40100, Pakistan
Shahid Mahmood
Institute of Food Science and Nutrition, University of Sargodha, Sargodha 40100, Pakistan
Tusneem Kausar
Institute of Food Science and Nutrition, University of Sargodha, Sargodha 40100, Pakistan
Muhammad Abubakar
Department of Electrical Engineering, Quaid-e-Azam College of Engineering & Technology, Sahiwal 57000, Pakistan
Stevia rebaudiana (Bertoni) leaves consist of dietetically important diterpene steviol glycosides (SGs): stevioside (ST) and rebaudioside-A (Reb-A). ST and Reb-A are key sweetening compounds exhibiting a sweetening potential of 100 to 300 times more intense than that of table sucrose. Ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) of SGs was optimized by effective process optimization techniques, such as response surface methodology (RSM) and artificial neural network (ANN) modeling coupled with genetic algorithm (GA) as a function of ethanol concentration (X1: 0–100%), sonication time (X2: 10–54 min), and leaf–solvent ratio (X3: 0.148–0.313 g·mL−1). The maximum target responses were obtained at optimum UAE conditions of 75% (X1), 43 min (X2), and 0.28 g·mL−1 (X3). ANN-GA as a potential alternative indicated superiority to RSM. UAE as a green technology proved superior to conventional maceration extraction (CME) with reduced resource consumption. Moreover, UAE resulted in a higher total extract yield (TEY) and SGs including Reb-A and ST yields as compared to those that were obtained by CME with a marked reduction in resource consumption and CO2 emission. The findings of the present study evidenced the significance of UAE as an ecofriendly extraction method for extracting SGs, and UAE scale-up could be employed for effectiveness on an industrial scale. These findings evidenced that the UAE is a high-efficiency extraction method with an improved statistical approach.
