Pressurized hot water extraction (PHWE) for the green recovery of bioactive compounds and steviol glycosides from Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni leaves

Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni leaves are a natural source of diterpenic glycosides, and various bioactive compounds. The objectives were to characterize antioxidants and steviol glycosides in the extracts obtained from Stevia after "green" pressurized hot water extraction (PHWE). PHWE extracts were obtained at different temperatures (100, 130, 160 °C); static extraction times (5 and 10 min), and cycle numbers (1, 2, 3) using a constant pressure of 10.34 MPa. Temperature was the most important parameter for extraction, where the highest recoveries of all bioactive compounds (except for carotenoids) were at 160 °C. Extracts obtained at longer static times had more steviol glycosides, condensed ta…