Valorization of Turnip Greens (Brassica rapa subsp. sylvestris) Wastes: Investigation on the Sustainable Recovery of Bioactive Extracts with Antioxidant and Antibiofilm Properties

The valorization of agri-food residues is crucial for advancing circular bioeconomy strategies and mitigating environmental impacts. Turnip greens (Brassica rapa subsp. sylvestris) are a traditional vegetable cultivated in southern Italy. While the edible portions include flower sprouts, buds, and young leaves, the more leathery leaves and stems are typically discarded. These wastes represent valuable sources of compounds with antioxidant and antimicrobial potential. This study aims to develop the extraction of phenolic compounds from turnip green residues using two techniques: silent maceration and ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE). Ethanol was selected over methanol as a food-safe alternative solvent, with preliminary tests confirming equivalent efficiency. A Design of Experiments (DoE) approach was applied to both leaves and stems to assess the effects of solvent composition, solvent-to-matrix ratio, and extraction time on Total Phenolic Content and Trolox Equivalent Antioxidant Capacity. DoE results identified UAE as the most effective method for stems, while for leaves, the solvent-to-dry-mass ratio was the key parameter. HPLC-DAD analysis was performed to identify and quantify the phenolic acids in selected extracts. The antibacterial activity of these extracts against biofilms of six pathogenic strains was evaluated using crystal violet and MTT assays, confirming efficacy in both biofilm formation and mature stages.