METHOD FOR SEPARATING POLYPHENOLIC COMPOUNDS FROM BIOMASS AND RESULTING PRODUCTS

The invention provides a method for separating a polyphenolic compound such as resveratrol from biomass. The method comprises feeding the biomass into an aqueous two-phase system with a polymer phase and a salt phase and separating the polymer phase which includes the polyphenolic compound from the salt phase. The polymer may be a polyether. The salt may be a tartrate salt, a citrate salt, a carbonate salt, a phosphate salt or a sulphate salt. The biomass may be derived from grape vines, knotweeds, pine trees, peanut plants, cocoa bushes, Vaccinium shrubs; geraniums of the Pelargonium genus, or the herb Polygonum Cuspidatum, for example. The biomass may be derived from winery waste. The polymer phase may comprise 10% (w/w) polyethylene glycol with a molecular weight of 8000 g/mol. The salt phase may comprise 15% (w/w) tartrate salt. The invention extends to medicaments and dietary supplements which include the polyphenolic compound.