Deep eutectic solvents (DESs) have emerged as promising green alternatives to conventional organic solvents for the extraction of bioactive compounds from natural matrices because of their tunable physicochemical properties, low toxicity, and environmental compatibility. However, most existing reviews primarily focus on application-based results, with limited mechanistic and process engineering interpretations necessary for industrial applications. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of DES-based extraction from the perspective of separation and process engineering, emphasizing the relationships between DES composition, physicochemical properties, mass-transfer behavior, and extraction performance. Key parameters, including viscosity, hydrogen bonding interactions, solvent-to-feed ratio, temperature, and water content, are critically evaluated in terms of their influence on extraction efficiency, selectivity, and scalability. Furthermore, solvent recovery, process intensification strategies, and industrial implementation challenges are discussed to bridge the gap between laboratory research and large-scale application. By integrating mechanistic insights with process-level considerations, this review provides a systematic framework for the rational design and optimization of DES-based extraction processes as sustainable and scalable-separation technologies.

Utilization of economical and environmental methods as an alternative process to recover the industrial crops and food products into high-added value compounds is of great significant. In the current study, microwave assisted extraction (MAE) was optimized by response surface methodology (RSM) in order to evaluate the waste of sour cherry as a source of phenolic compounds rich in anthocyanins. The process parameters (microwave power, irradiation time and ethanol solvent concentration) of MAE method were optimized by face centered composite design of RSM. Responses such as total phenolic componds (TPC), total anthocyanin (TA) contents and antioxidant capacity (DPPH) of extracts were measured spectrophotometrically after extractions of samples. The optimized result of MAE was 500 W of microwave power, 90 s of irradation time and 80% ethanol solvent concentration. Antioxidant capacity was tested using by 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl hydrazyl (DPPH) radical. Chromatographic analysis (HPLC) was also used to measure the concentration of major anthocyanin (cyanidin-3-glucoside) of the samples. Maximum predicted TPC, TA and DPPH yields on optimized conditions were 44.15 mg-GAE/g-FM (mg- gallic acid equivalent per g- fresh matter), 12.47 mg-cyanidin-3-glucoside/g-FM and 69.90 (%, inhibition), respectively. A stability assay under different conditions (light, dark, ambient condition, refrigerator and deep freezer) has been also performed in order to display the stability of bioactivity profile. All of the process parameters were significant at the level of p < 0.0001. Graphical Abstract