Optimization of A Procedure to Improve the Extraction Rate of Biologically Active Compounds in Red Grape Must Using High-Power Ultrasound

The primary focus in the production of quality red wine is the extraction of grape components, which can be achieved in a variety of ways. This work investigates the extraction yield of biologically active compounds from crushed Merlot grapes, as a result of ultrasound treatment applied before maceration, and optimizes the process parameters of a laboratory scale using response surface methodology (RSM) within a central composite design (CCD) model. The two factors whose response was studied were amplitude (A) % and treatment time (t), while the dependent variables were the total phenolic compounds (TPC), monomeric anthocyanins (MA), and antioxidant activity expressed as ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging activity. The results showed that the application of high-power ultrasound treatment to crushed grapes for a few minutes increased both the extraction rate of bioactive compounds and the antioxidant activity by a maximum of 12 times for the TPC, 14 times for the MA, 3.6 times for the FRAP value, and 18.77% for the DPPH. The optimized solution had an amplitude of 90% and a treatment time of 4 min and 24 s. The validation experiments yielded errors between—8.70% and 3.14%, confirming the proposed model. Thus, the RSM model is recommended as a tool to optimize a procedure for enhancing both the extraction rate of the bioactive compounds from grapes and the antioxidant properties of grape must. Our results demonstrate the ultimate benefits of using ultrasonic treatment on crushed grapes at the beginning of the winemaking process, as a highly effective technique for improving the extraction of high-value bioactive chemicals, with significant application potential.