Preliminary Study on Annona muricata L. Leaf Bioactives for Antioxidant Activity and Anti‐Browning Effects in Apple Slices

Food loss and waste cost the global economy an estimated $1 trillion annually, with oxidative and enzymatic deterioration among the principal biochemical drivers of quality loss in fresh produce, yet few plant‐derived preservation strategies address both processes simultaneously within a single, food‐compatible extract. This study presents a preliminary, concentration‐dependent assessment of the antioxidant and anti‐browning potential of Annona muricata leaf extract (AMLE), prepared via parallel methanolic and ethanolic extraction and characterized by GC‐MS and FT‐IR. The methanolic extract was dominated by long‐chain fatty‐acid esters and a sesquiterpene oxide, while the ethanolic extract contained terpenoids such as camphor, (+)‐2‐bornanone, and p‐cymene; the GRAS‐status ethanolic extract was selected for functional testing. Across a 50–200 μ g/mL concentration range, AMLE showed concentration‐dependent increases in phenolic content, antioxidant capacity, and radical‐scavenging activity (DPPH and ABTS). At the highest concentration tested, lipid peroxidation was reduced by up to 25% in an egg‐yolk model and enzymatic browning by up to 58% in fresh‐cut apple slices over 7 days of refrigerated storage. These findings extend prior single‐concentration reports of anti‐browning activity for this species with a concentration–response design and an explicit link between the identified phytochemical profile and the functional outcomes observed. As a preliminary, single‐batch investigation conducted without inferential statistical testing, these findings should be interpreted as proof‐of‐concept; confirming them will require expanded biological replication and validation across additional food systems. Subject to that confirmation, AMLE represents a promising, food‐compatible candidate for dual‐function postharvest antioxidant and anti‐browning applications.