Various novel techniques including ultrasound-assisted extraction, microwave-assisted extraction, supercritical fluid extraction, and accelerated solvent extraction have been developed for the extraction of nutraceuticals from plants in order to shorten the extraction time, decrease the solvent consumption, increase the extraction yield, and enhance the quality of extracts. A critical review was conducted to introduce and compare the conventional Soxhlet extraction and the new alternative methods used for the extraction of nutraceuticals from plants. The practical issues of each extraction method were discussed. Potential uses of those methods for the extraction of nutraceuticals from plant materials was finally summarized.

Recent advances in extraction of nutraceuticals from plants

Statistical Databases

There are concerns about using synthetic phenolic antioxidants such as butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) and butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) as food additives because of the reported negative effects on human health. Thus, a replacement of these synthetics by antioxidant extractions from various foods has been proposed. More than 8000 different phenolic compounds have been characterized; fruits and vegetables are the prime sources of natural antioxidants. In order to extract, measure, and identify bioactive compounds from a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, researchers use multiple techniques and methods. This review includes a brief description of a wide range of different assays. The antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anticancer properties of phenolic natural products from fruits and vegetables are also discussed.

/pdf/phytochemicals-extraction-isolation-and-identification-of-4uq807l5d8.pdf

Phytochemicals: Extraction, Isolation, and Identification of Bioactive Compounds from Plant Extracts

The market sales of ready-to-use fresh vegetables have grown rapidly in recent decades as a result of changes in consumer attitudes, especially consumption of fresh-cut lettuce and carrot due to their use in prepared salads. Chlorine solutions have been widely used to sanitise fruit and vegetables in the fresh-cut industry. However, the association of chlorine with the possible formation of carcinogenic chlorinated compounds in water has called into question the use of chlorine in food processing. There is a real need to find alternatives for preservation of fresh-cut fruit and vegetables in order to improve the efficacy of washing treatments. Alternatives or modified methods have been proposed, as antioxidants, irradiation, ozone, organics acids, modified atmosphere packaging, whey permeate, etc.; however, none have yet gained widespread acceptance by the industry. For this reason the development of alternatives and markers in order to measure the efficacy of these alternatives are needed.

/pdf/extending-and-measuring-the-quality-of-fresh-cut-fruit-and-1zr9gkbr41.pdf

Extending and Measuring the Quality of Fresh-cut Fruit and Vegetables: a Review

Probiotic functional foods: Survival of probiotics during processing and storage

Advances in the pectin production process using novel extraction techniques: A review

Producing PHAs in the bioeconomy — Towards a sustainable bioplastic

Contributions of spray drying to food processing applications are increasing as compared to other conventional drying methods. Spray drying has not only contributed in drying of fluids but also has played a vital role in encapsulation and microencapsulation of valuable foods and functional–nutraceutical ingredients. Microencapsulation by spray drying is a cost-effective one-step process as compared to other encapsulation methods. Encapsulation using spray drying is mainly used in the food sector to protect bioactive compounds or functional foods from light, temperature, oxidation, etc. This paper reviews the work done in past years in the functional food and nutraceutical sector using spray drying. The paper focuses on the role of spray drying in vitamins, minerals, flavouring substances, antioxidant compounds and fatty acids encapsulation.

Spray Drying for the Production of Nutraceutical Ingredients—A Review

Blueberry is one of the most popular fruits in North America and rich in anthocyanins. Its content in anthocyanins contributes to the health-beneficial effects of blueberry against several chronic diseases including cardiovascular disorders, neurodegenerative diseases, diabetes, and cancer. This paper summarizes various facts presenting blueberry as a fruit with huge potential for increased future consumption as a health-enhancing food. Factors affecting the biosynthesis of the various anthocyanins in blueberries, including agronomic and genetic factors, and the possible pathways of biosynthesis of the major anthocyanins present in this plant are discussed. The important health-beneficial effects associated with blueberry anthocyanins, properties of these anthocyanins leading to the beneficial effects, and food processing parameters leading to the depletion of the amounts of anthocyanins present in the final processed products are also briefly discussed. Furthermore, the general methods of extraction and analyses that have been reported for being successfully applied to blueberry anthocyanins are also reviewed.

Practical Application:  Blueberries are well known for their nutritional and beneficial health effects, however, information concerning the physiology behind the blueberry beneficial effects is still lacking. There is little or no information on the characterization of growing conditions on anthocyanins in blueberries and research is lagging behind on advanced methods of extracting blueberry anthocyanins.

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/j.1541-4337.2011.00164.x

Blueberries and Their Anthocyanins: Factors Affecting Biosynthesis and Properties

Aims Probiotics were microencapsulated in raspberry juice through spray drying. Methods & Results A combination of probiotics (Lactobacillus acidophilus NRRL B-4495 and Lactobacillus rhamnosus NRRL B-442) was chosen to offer high viability. Maltodextrin's role as a carbon source was also assessed for its prebiotic potential. Spray drying inlet temperature (°C), total solids: maltodextrin ratio, and inlet feed rate (mL/min) were fixed as independent variables while % recovery, % survival and color were the dependent outputs. Conclusions & Significance High temperatures during spray drying are detrimental to probiotics and can be circumvented by sub-lethal thermal shock (50 °C for L. acidophilus and 52.5 °C for L. rhamnosus). Increasing the microencapsulating material concentration increased the survival rate of the probiotics. Non-dairy probiotic foods are becoming popular as they do not pose problems of lactose intolerance while they offer an alternative.

Valérie Orsat

Papers

Advances in the pectin production process using novel extraction techniques: A review

Producing PHAs in the bioeconomy — Towards a sustainable bioplastic

Spray Drying for the Production of Nutraceutical Ingredients—A Review

Blueberries and Their Anthocyanins: Factors Affecting Biosynthesis and Properties

Optimization of microencapsulation of probiotics in raspberry juice by spray drying