PHYTOCHEMICAL CHARACTERIZATION AND EXTRACTION YIELD OF ESSENTIAL OILS FROM MANGO BY-PRODUCTS (Mangifera indica L.)

Mango (Mangifera indica L.) is widely consumed worldwide, generating agro-industrial residues such as peels and leaves, which are often discarded. Essential oils (EOs) extracted from fruit by-products have attracted interest in the food and nutrition fields due to their antioxidant, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. The aim of this study was to evaluate the extraction yield and characterize the phytochemical composition of EOs from mango peels and leaves. Organic mango leaves were obtained from a farm in Cachoeiras de Macacu (RJ/Brazil), and the peels from retail fruit and vegetable markets in Niterói (RJ/Brazil). For EO extraction, mango peels were pre-dried in a ventilated oven at 40 °C for 36 hours. Fresh leaves (118.3 g) and peels (1300 g) were subjected to hydrodistillation using a 5 L Clevenger apparatus for 3 and 2 hours, respectively, and the EOs were collected and stored in amber vials. Yield was calculated as the ratio between oil mass and the dry sample mass. Samples were diluted in hexane (1:100), and their phytochemical composition was determined by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) using a DB-5MS column (30 m × 0.25 mm × 0.25 µm). Compound identification was based on linear retention indices (LRI) compared to the NIST library. The EO yield from peels was 0.03%, while that from leaves was 0.06%, considered low compared to other plant matrices. In the peel EO, 21 compounds were identified (95.16% of the identified EO), with 3-carene (57.32%) as the major compound. Other components included α-pinene (17.69%), α-terpinolene (4.83%), β-caryophyllene (2.70%), β-pinene (1.99%), and β-myrcene (1.63%), while α-caryophyllene (1.38%), α-neoclovene (1.26%), α-terpineol (1.14%) and others (< 1.0%) were present in lower abundances. In the leaf EO, 16 compounds were identified (88.12% of the identified EO). The major compounds were (–)-α-gurjunene (29.86%), β-selinene (14.41%), and caryophyllene (10.68%), followed by 3-carene (8.78%), humulene (5.50%), and (+)-ledene (5.16%). Germacrene D (3.69%), copaene (2.87%), δ-cadinene (1.94%) and others (< 1.0%) were present in lower abundances. These results highlight differences between the chemical profiles of peels and leaves, with monoterpenes predominating in the peel and sesquiterpenes in the leaves. These groups are recognized for their relevant biological properties, reinforcing the potential utilization of these by-products. Thus, although extraction yields were low, these EOs exhibit high phytochemical diversity and, as they are derived from plant residues, represent promising and sustainable sources of functional ingredients for the food industry.