Citrus is a major processed crop that results in large quantities of wastes and by-products rich in various bioactive compounds such as pectins, water soluble and insoluble antioxidants and essential oils. While some of those wastes are currently valorised by various technologies (yet most are discarded or used for feed), effective, non-toxic and profitable extraction strategies could further significantly promote the valorisation and provide both increased profits and high quality bioactives. The present review will describe and summarize the latest works concerning novel and greener methods for valorisation of citrus by-products. The outcomes and effectiveness of those technologies such as microwaves, ultrasound, pulsed electric fields and high pressure is compared both to conventional valorisation technologies and between the novel technologies themselves in order to highlight the advantages and potential scalability of these so-called “enabling technologies”. In many cases the reported novel technologies can enable a valorisation extraction process that is “greener” compared to the conventional technique due to a lower energy consumption and reduced utilization of toxic solvents.
Polyphenols are the most important phytochemicals in our diets and have received great attention due to their broad benefits for human health by suppressing oxidative stress and playing a protective role in preventing different pathologies such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, and obesity. The stability of polyphenols depends on their environments of processing and storage, such as pH and temperature. A wide range of technologies has been developed to stabilize polyphenols during processing. This review will provide an overview of the stability of polyphenols in relation to their structure, the factors impacting the stability of polyphenols, the new products deriving from unstable polyphenols, and the effect of a series of technologies for the stabilization of polyphenols, such as chemical modification, nanotechnology, lyophilization, encapsulation, cold plasma treatment, polyphenol–protein interaction, and emulsion as a means of improving stability. Finally, the effects of cooking and storage on the stability of polyphenols were discussed.