Antioxidant-Photoprotective, Anti-Inflammatory, and Antithrombotic Health-Promoting Activities of Green Extracts of Amphiphilic Bioactives from Organic Greek Starking and Granny Smith Apple Pomace

Apple pomace is an abundant agro-industrial by-product rich in bioactive compounds. In the present study, amphiphilic bioactives from organic Greek Starking and Granny Smith apple pomace were recovered using a green extraction methodology, in compliance with EU legislations for food-grade solvents utilized in food stuffs, followed by evaporation of these solvents in vacuum conditions by flash rotary evaporation. The green extracts were then evaluated for their content in amphiphilic bioactives, as well as for their antioxidant photoprotective capacities spectrophotometrically, and for anti-inflammatory and potential in vitro antithrombotic activities by inhibiting human platelets’ aggregation. ATR-FTIR analysis revealed the presence of phenolics, carotenoids and polar lipids in these extracts. Thus, the total phenolic content (TPC) and total carotenoid content (TCC) were determined spectrophotometrically, while LC–MS analysis facilitated the characterization of specific polar lipid bioactives and quantified their fatty acid composition. Granny Smith extracts exhibited a higher phenolic content and enhanced anti-inflammatory and anti-platelet activities, likely associated with their polar lipid composition and low balanced ω6/ω3 fatty acid ratio, aligned with anti-inflammatory phenolic bioactives that are present in apple pomace. The observed inhibition of platelet aggregation, particularly via the PAF-related inflammatory pathways, suggests potential cardioprotective applications. Moreover, both extracts demonstrated potent antioxidant capacity by all the three mechanisms of action and UV photoprotective properties, probably due to the presence of both phenolic and carotenoid bioactives, with Starking showing stronger UVB-related activity and Granny Smith enhanced UVA-related protection, which—if combined with the observed potent antioxidant capacity and anti-PAF anti-inflammatory properties—further suggest potential applications in functional photoprotective and anti-aging cosmetic formulations. These findings highlight that apple pomace offers a sustainable source of amphiphilic bioactives suitable for nutraceutical and cosmetic applications.