Ultrasonic Assisted Extraction of Natural Pigments from Rhizomes of ‎Curcuma Longa L. ‎

U ltrasound-assisted extraction ‎‎(UAE) was evaluated as a simpler ‎and more effective alternative to ‎conventional extraction methods ‎for the isolation of curcuminoids ‎from turmeric plant rhizomes. The ‎turmeric samples were extracted ‎under indirect sonication in an ‎ultrasonic bath, and compared ‎with the conventional methods. It ‎was found that the yield of ‎ultrasound-assisted extraction was ‎approximately three times higher ‎than the traditional method. ‎Taguchi experimental design was ‎employed to study the effect of pH, ‎solvent composition and extraction ‎time on the yield of extracted ‎curcuminoids from turmeric. The ‎optimum combination was ‎determined as a solvent ‎composition ethanol/water 70:30 ‎‎(V: V), pH of 3 and an ultrasound-‎assisted extraction time of 15 min. ‎The extracts were analyzed using ‎high performance liquid ‎chromatography (HPLC).‎