Over the years, brown algae bioactive polysaccharides laminarin, alginate and fucoidan have been isolated and used in functional foods, cosmeceutical and pharmaceutical industries. The extraction process of these polysaccharides includes several complex and time-consuming steps and the correct adjustment of extraction parameters (e.g., time, temperature, power, pressure, solvent and sample to solvent ratio) greatly influences the yield, physical, chemical and biochemical properties as well as their biological activities. This review includes the most recent conventional procedures for brown algae polysaccharides extraction along with advanced extraction techniques (microwave-assisted extraction, ultrasound assisted extraction, pressurized liquid extraction and enzymes assisted extraction) which can effectively improve extraction process. The influence of these extraction techniques and their individual parameters on yield, chemical structure and biological activities from the most current literature is discussed, along with their potential for commercial applications as bioactive compounds and drug delivery systems.

Fresh-cut potatoes (FCP), like other fresh-cut (minimally processed) vegetables, are a convenient but highly perishable product. Unlike most fresh-cut vegetables, which are “ready-to-eat”, FCP must be cooked before consumption. Therefore, in addition to the safety (chemical and microbiological), quality and sensory characteristics of raw FCP, the same requirements should be applied for cooked potatoes. It is known that many factors play a role in meeting all these requirements: (i) selection of cultivars less susceptible to browning; (ii) use of anti-browning and antimicrobial agents and/or certain physical methods against browning and microbial growth; (iii) packaging and cold storage conditions. In recent studies on FCP, scientists have attempted to deepen their knowledge of the mechanisms of browning prevention to better understand changes at the molecular level as well. The main objective of this review is to provide a comprehensive overview of recent research, which aimed at deepening knowledge of the various changes that occur in potatoes during processing, and to develop new approaches that could help improve quality and extend FCP shelf life. It also discusses the effects of subsequent cooking of FCP on sensory and other properties, as well as on chemical constituents.

This study examined the composition and properties of chlorophyll and carotenoid extracted from the leaves of several Mediterranean evergreen shrubs and subshrubs (Myrtus communis L., Pistacia lentiscus L., Thymus vulgaris L., Salvia officinalis L. and Laurus nobilis L.) commonly used as herbs and spices. In order to fully assess their composition over a wide polarity range, pigments were extracted by successive solvent extraction with hexane, 80% acetone and 96% ethanol. Agitation-assisted extraction (AAE), ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) and pressurized liquid extraction (PLE) were employed and compared regarding their effect on the pigments’ yield and composition. Individual chlorophylls and carotenoids were analyzed by HPLC-DAD, while the content of total pigments and the extracts’ antioxidant capacity were determined spectrophotometrically. Throughout the experiments, pheophytin a, b and b’ were dominant chlorophyll molecules, while lutein and β-carotene were dominant carotenoids. Overall, the extracted pigments were determined as being in the range of 73.84–127.60 mg 100 g⁻¹ and were the lowest in T. vulgaris, with no significant differences between other species. M. communis and P. lentiscus had the highest antioxidant capacities, showing a moderate positive correlation with carotenoid and chlorophyll levels. Significant differences were found in the levels of individual pigments with most of them showing a medium level of polarity due to the dissolution in acetone as a medium polar solvent. AAE and PLE demonstrated similar efficacy in the extraction of both carotenoids and chlorophylls; however, preference can be given to PLE, being a novel method with numerous advantages, e.g., shorter extraction time and lower solvent consumption. The examined plant species certainly expressed great diversity and showed the potential for application in the production of various functional products.

The aim of this study was to examine the effectiveness of cryomilling (CM) pretreatment on the isolation of fennel seeds essential oil (EO). Therefore, the study included (i) the process optimization and comparison of the efficiencies of hydrodistillation (HD) and steam distillation (SD); (ii) the evaluation of the effect of the CM application prior to the distillation method (selected based on the results obtained in the first part) on the EO yield; (iii) the evaluation of possible quality differences of the EOs obtained with the performed isolation methods. The obtained results showed that HD (at a solid to liquid ratio 1:10 and a distillation time of 120 min) was more efficient in terms of the EO yield compared to SD (at a pressure of 0.83 bar and distillation time of 117 min as optimal conditions). Moreover, an increased EO yield or even reduced distillation time was observed when HD was combined with a 3 min or 5 min CM pretreatment. GC-MS analysis showed no qualitative differences in chemical composition upon any of the applied isolation procedures, although higher amounts of volatiles were found in the cryomilled samples. The results of this study could be of interest to academia and the EO industry, as CM showed a positive aspect in EO isolation that could provide economic benefits in terms of higher yields or energy savings.

The increased production of high-quality berry products in recent years has led to considerable quantities of by-products such as pomace (25–50%), which consists of skin, seeds, stems and leaves. The improper management of pomace can lead to environmental pollution and potential public health problems due to microbial contamination, and storage causes additional processing costs. However, due to their high content of various valuable bioactive compounds (BACs), berry by-products have gained much attention as sustainable and functional ingredients with applications in the food and nutraceutical industries. The health benefits are primarily attributed to the phenolic compounds, which exhibit numerous biological activities, especially good antioxidant and antibacterial activity as well as health-promoting effects. This review summarizes the bioactive content and composition of extracts from berry by-products (genera Ribes, Rubus, Fragaria, Sambucus, Aronia and Vaccinium) obtained using advanced extraction technologies and their stabilization through sophisticated encapsulation technologies that make them suitable for various food applications. The addition of berry pomace to beverages, bakery, dairy and meat products improves sensory quality, extends shelf life, increases nutritional value and reduces the environmental footprint. This information can provide food scientists with valuable insights to evaluate the potential of berry by-products as functional ingredients with health-promoting and disease-preventing properties that create value-added products for human consumption while reducing food waste.