Valorization of Mango Peels (Mangifera indica L.) for the Production of Antioxidant-Rich Extracts: Optimization of the Extraction Process

The valorization of agro-industrial residues into higher-value-added products represents a promising strategy for the sustainable utilization of biomass and the advancement of circular economy approaches. Mango peels constitute an abundant residual biomass rich in bioactive compounds yet remain largely underutilized. This study aimed to valorize mango (Mangifera indica L.) peels by optimizing the extraction process of antioxidant compounds and chemically characterizing the resulting extracts. Different extraction techniques were initially compared in terms of extraction yield and antioxidant capacity, and high-shear homogenization-assisted extraction (HSH) for 20 min was selected for optimization based on its functional performance and operational practicality. A full factorial 32 design with a central point was employed to evaluate the effects of agitation speed and solid-to-solvent ratio. The optimized HSH conditions (15,000 rpm, a solid-to-solvent ratio of 1:10 (w/v), and 70% ethanol) yielded an extract with enhanced antioxidant capacity compared with conventional maceration for 7 days. Chemical characterization enabled the putative annotation of 28 compounds, with quercetin-3-O-pentoside and citric acid as the major constituents. The results demonstrate that optimized HSH enables the conversion of mango peels, an agro-industrial residual biomass, into antioxidant-rich extracts, contributing to biomass valorization and the development of higher-value-added products within a circular economy framework.