Grape pomace, a by-product of winemaking, has emerged as a promising source of natural antimicrobial compounds for food applications. In response to increasing concerns regarding foodborne illnesses and consumer demand for clean-label products, its valorization represents a sustainable approach to enhance food safety and shelf life. This review combines a bibliometric analysis with a critical examination of the scientific literature. The bibliometric analysis identifies leading authors, institutions, countries, and research trends related to the use of grape pomace in food preservation. The literature review summarizes extraction techniques and antimicrobial evaluations. Grape pomace is rich in phenolic compounds with demonstrated antibacterial and antifungal activity. The antimicrobial effectiveness depends on factors such as grape variety, extraction method, polyphenol profile, and target microorganisms. Its incorporation into food productsincluding meat, dairy, and beverageshas shown promising results. Additionally, bioactive extracts have been applied in edible films, coatings, and active packaging to inhibit microbial growth and prolong shelf life. The evidence supports the potential of grape pomace as an effective antimicrobial food additive. However, challenges remain, including the need for standardized extraction protocols, deeper understanding of antimicrobial mechanisms, and comprehensive safety and efficacy evaluations in real food systems. Addressing these gaps is essential to facilitate the development of innovative food preservation strategies based on grape pomace bioactives.

The increasing interest in valorizing agricultural by-products has positioned grape pomace as a rich source of bioactive compounds. This study developed an effect-directed extraction (EDE) approach guided by bioactivity quantification on thin layer chromatography (TLC). Twelve grape pomaces were screened based on antioxidant and tyrosinase inhibitory properties. Using hydroalcoholic solvent (ethanol:water, 1:1), the two most promising sources (Malbec from San Rafael) were subjected to response surface methodology (RSM) to optimize extraction of anti-browning and antioxidant compounds visualized as TLC spots. Temperature and time were optimized (76 °C, 45 min), and samples were analyzed using TLC coupled with DPPH and laccase inhibition bioautography. Antioxidant compounds showed retention factor values on TLC plates of 0.37 and 0.75 (DPPH/ABTS-active), while laccase inhibition occurred at Rf 0.35, coinciding with the primary tyrosinase inhibition zone. However, subsequent bioassay-guided HPLC fractionation and HRMS/MS analysis revealed that tyrosinase and laccase inhibitions are mediated by distinct compounds within this bioactive zone, highlighting a synergistic multi-target effect in the optimized extract that is retained throughout the process. The primary tyrosinase inhibitor at Rf ~0.35 was tentatively elucidated as an acylated anthocyanin, consistent with malvidin-3-O-(p-coumaroyl)glucoside. Optimized extracts were evaluated on Pink Lady apple slices at different timepoints. The browning index was reduced by 25% versus the control at 15 h, confirmed by significantly lower ΔE values (p < 0.05). The process requires only food-grade solvents and conventional equipment, facilitating scale-up for grape pomace generated worldwide. Validating the EDE strategy, this TLC-guided approach successfully tracked and preserved the primary anti-tyrosinase activity from the crude waste matrix down to the tentatively identified molecule, contributing to circular economy objectives in the wine industry.