Thermosonication of traditional poppy vinegar: modulation of biomolecules, phenolic profile, and antidiabetic potential in a functional fermented food

Traditional poppy vinegar is a functional fermented food matrix enriched with diverse biomolecules that may contribute to metabolic health. In this study, the effects of thermosonication on the biomolecular profile, antioxidant characteristics, and antidiabetic potential of traditionally produced poppy (Papaver rhoeas L.) vinegar were investigated using an integrated experimental and modeling approach. Thermosonication was performed at 26 kHz and 200 W, while treatment time (8–16 min), amplitude (60–100%), and temperature (40–60 °C) were optimized through a Box–Behnken design (n = 15). The primary responses were inhibition of α-glucosidase and α-amylase. Among the tested models, the Ridge (Poly2) model showed the best predictive performance, with R2 values of 0.9414 for α-glucosidase inhibition and 0.7951 for α-amylase inhibition, together with low LOOCV-based MAPE values. Multi-objective optimization identified 13.86 min, 84.68% amplitude, and 47.40 °C as the optimum conditions, yielding predicted inhibition values of 42.34% for α-glucosidase and 37.96% for α-amylase; the experimental validation results were 41.73 and 36.11%, respectively. Thermosonication better preserved the functional quality of poppy vinegar than conventional pasteurization. Specifically, the thermosonicated samples exhibited a remarkably high retention of free radical-scavenging activity (DPPH) alongside greater levels of total phenolics, flavonoids, and anthocyanins. The preservation of this robust antioxidant capacity is of great significance, as it prevents the thermal degradation typically induced by conventional processing, thereby sustaining the structural integrity of bioactive compounds and maximizing the overall health-promoting potential of the vinegar. Phenolic profiling further demonstrated treatment-dependent changes in individual compounds, with quercetin detected in the thermosonicated sample. Molecular docking analysis supported the mechanistic plausibility of enzyme inhibition by showing favorable binding affinities of selected phenolics, particularly quercetin, toward α-amylase. Overall, the findings indicate that thermosonication is a promising green processing strategy for modulating biomolecules and preserving the functional potential of traditional poppy vinegar as a fermented food with antidiabetic relevance.