A novel method based on saponification coupled to micelle-extraction for recovering valuable bioactive compounds from soybean oil deodorizer distillate

[Display omitted] •Novel method for tocopherols purification using saponification and micellar systems.•More than 90% of total tocopherols were purified in micellar phase.•Almost the totality of antioxidant activity was recovered.•93% of obtained tocopherols resulted to be associated to the mixed micelles.•Revalorization of soybean oil deodorizer distillated. The feasibility of using saponification coupled to extraction with mixed micellar systems to recover bioactive compounds from soybean oil deodorizer distillate, was evaluated for the first time. Under the selected conditions, saponification with KOH 0.6 M and aqueous micellar system prepared with Tergitol 15-S-7 9% w/w, rhamnolipids 0.25 %w/w and sodium citrate 100 mM pH 5.00, at 65 °C, allow the recovery of almost 100% of α- and δ- tocopherols, and 90% of γ-tocopherols. LC-MS measurements demonstrated that the final extract also contained phytosterols and squalene. Additionally, the obtained extract preserved about 100% of the total antioxidant activity. This result was attributable to the fact that 93% of the tocopherols recovered in the micellar phases resulted to be associated with surfactant micelles, environment that is known to improve their antioxidant capacity. These results open perspectives to the use of this methodology to extract these valuable compounds from complex oily sources.