Synergy of Analytical Characterization and Biocompatible Extractions for the Enhancement of High-Quality Biorefinery Products from Medicago sativa

This study presents the development
of an analytical characterization
strategy tailored to end products derived from an alfalfa (Medicago sativa)-based biorefinery with particular
emphasis on protein concentrates and phenolic-enriched fractions.
Our approach began with a comprehensive full-factorial experimental
design aimed at optimizing the extraction process, taking care to
design a biocompatible extraction protocol. Liquid chromatography
with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) techniques were used to characterize
the molecular profile of the extracts. In particular, the extracts
showed a significant relative abundance of flavonoids and isoflavonoids
in both their aglycone and glycosylated forms, in which antioxidant
activity was evaluated. In addition, we elucidated the proteomic profiles
of the protein concentrates. This proteomic characterization served
as a valuable resource for understanding the differences between these
end products, providing insights that can guide informed decisions
about their potential applications.