IN VITRO ASSESSMENT OF BIOACTIVE PHYTOCHEMICALS EXTRACTED FROM UPCYCLED KALE TO USE IN COSMECEUTICALS

Abstract

Food waste is a global concern, contributing to environmental degradation through greenhouse gas emissions and excessive landfill use. Upcycling food waste is emerging as one of the strategies to recover bioactive phytochemicals for cosmeceuticals, contributing to waste reduction. This study optimized carotenoid extraction from upcycled kale using response surface methodology-central composite design (RSM-CCD), identifying optimal conditions (100% ethanol, 57 °C, 30 min) that yielded 392 μg carotenoid/g dry weight (DW) using ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE). The ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (UPLC-ESI-MS) analysis revealed lutein, quercetin, chlorogenic acid, and sulforaphane as key bioactive phytochemicals. Furthermore, in vitro assays showed UAE-kale extract, chlorogenic acid, and sulforaphane reduced UV-induced DNA damage in WS1 cells. All the tested compounds demonstrated similar effects on reducing the UV-induced reactive oxygen species levels. The findings highlight that upcycled kale extracts show potential for UV-protection, which need validation through in vivo studies.