Secondary metabolites are small molecules synthesized by plants that make them adaptive in their own environment. Thre are more than 200,00 known secondary metabolites displaying a wide range of effects on the plant itself and on other living organisms. In this context, food, nutraceutical, pharmaceutical, cosmetic, agricultural, and new materials industries are actively searching for new plant sources and eco-compatible extraction methods for the recovery of such active compounds while aiming at sustainable natural resources utilization and environmental protection. New green extraction techniques are being developed to overcome the standard non-environmental friendly chemical and solvent-based methodologies.
This article collection aims to gather the most recent studies concerning new green techniques for plant functional secondary metabolites extraction. Several possibilities include natural deep eutectic solvents (NADES), supercritical fluid extraction, pressurized liquid extraction, enzymatic hydrolysis, ultrasound extraction, accelerated solvent extraction, and microwave-assisted extraction. All the extraction methodologies can be applied to whole plants or single organs, as well as to in vitro cell cultures and to processing residual biomasses.
Protocols can be assayed for the selective recovery of specific classes of plant-derived compounds or for total phytochemical extraction. Important aspects to be considered, in addition to the yield, are to minimize interference from compounds that may co-extract with the target compounds, avoid extract contamination, prevent extracted compound decomposition or artifact formation, and preserve the techno-functional features of the targeted compounds.
We welcome original research, review and, methods articles falling under (but not limited to) the following topics:
• New green methodologies set up, such as extractions by means of natural deep eutectic solvents (NADES), supercritical fluids, pressurized liquids, enzymatic hydrolysis, ultrasounds, microwave, etc.
• Study in plant model systems (specific species, in vitro cultures, etc) as well as in real contexts (agricultural biomasses, agro-industrial by-products, etc)
• Research concerning specific secondary metabolites, from molecular to pre-industrial levels
• Analyses of yields, selectivity, co-extraction, compound stability, etc of the target combination between phytochemical and extraction technology
• Study of connections between extraction methodologies, phytochemical yields, and biological activities of the extracts
Secondary metabolites are small molecules synthesized by plants that make them adaptive in their own environment. Thre are more than 200,00 known secondary metabolites displaying a wide range of effects on the plant itself and on other living organisms. In this context, food, nutraceutical, pharmaceutical, cosmetic, agricultural, and new materials industries are actively searching for new plant sources and eco-compatible extraction methods for the recovery of such active compounds while aiming at sustainable natural resources utilization and environmental protection. New green extraction techniques are being developed to overcome the standard non-environmental friendly chemical and solvent-based methodologies.
This article collection aims to gather the most recent studies concerning new green techniques for plant functional secondary metabolites extraction. Several possibilities include natural deep eutectic solvents (NADES), supercritical fluid extraction, pressurized liquid extraction, enzymatic hydrolysis, ultrasound extraction, accelerated solvent extraction, and microwave-assisted extraction. All the extraction methodologies can be applied to whole plants or single organs, as well as to in vitro cell cultures and to processing residual biomasses.
Protocols can be assayed for the selective recovery of specific classes of plant-derived compounds or for total phytochemical extraction. Important aspects to be considered, in addition to the yield, are to minimize interference from compounds that may co-extract with the target compounds, avoid extract contamination, prevent extracted compound decomposition or artifact formation, and preserve the techno-functional features of the targeted compounds.
We welcome original research, review and, methods articles falling under (but not limited to) the following topics:
• New green methodologies set up, such as extractions by means of natural deep eutectic solvents (NADES), supercritical fluids, pressurized liquids, enzymatic hydrolysis, ultrasounds, microwave, etc.
• Study in plant model systems (specific species, in vitro cultures, etc) as well as in real contexts (agricultural biomasses, agro-industrial by-products, etc)
• Research concerning specific secondary metabolites, from molecular to pre-industrial levels
• Analyses of yields, selectivity, co-extraction, compound stability, etc of the target combination between phytochemical and extraction technology
• Study of connections between extraction methodologies, phytochemical yields, and biological activities of the extracts
