The global food production industry faces environmental concerns exacerbated by substantial food waste. European countries are striving to reduce food waste towards a circular bioeconomy and sustainable development. To address environmental issues and reduce plastic waste, researchers are developing sustainable active packaging systems, including edible packaging made from industry residues. These innovations aim to increase food safety and quality, extend shelf life, and reduce plastic and food waste. Particularly important in the context of the growing demand for fresh and minimally processed fruits, edible coatings have emerged as a potential solution that offers numerous advantages in maintaining fruit quality. In addition to fruit, edible coatings have also been investigated for animal-based foods to meet the demand for high-quality, chemical-free food and extended shelf life. These products globally consumed can be susceptible to the growth of harmful microorganisms and spoilage. One of the main advantages of using edible coatings is their ability to preserve meat quality and freshness by reducing undesirable physicochemical changes, such as color, texture, and moisture loss. Furthermore, edible coatings also contribute to the development of a circular bioeconomy, promoting sustainability in the food industry. This paper reviews the antimicrobial edible coatings investigated in recent years in minimally processed fruits and traditional sausages. It also approaches bionanocomposites as a recently emerged technology with potential application in food quality and safety.

Currently, there is special interest in the recovery of polyphenols from non-compliant fruits that have no market value; efforts to find value-added solutions for these food areas are a key option for a sustainable bio-economy. Saco cherries are a traditional Portuguese cherry variety, and although they are a nutritionally important food, rich in powerful dietary polyphenols, significant amounts of these cherries are not sold due to their small size. In this context, this work aimed to select the best method to produce novel antioxidant polyphenol-rich extracts from low calibre and non-compliant Saco cherries. Based on the results, microwaves-assisted extraction (MAE) allowed us to obtain a polyphenol-rich extract with a high antioxidant capacity (50.46 ± 1.58 mg Trolox equivalent (TE)/g dry extract (DE) by oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC), 10.88 ± 0.38 mg ascorbic acid equivalent (AA)/g DE by 2-azinobis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid (ABTS), and 9.58 ± 0.42 mg TE/g DE by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH)) and a high content of polyphenols, namely, hydroxycinnamic acids (neochlorogenic and p-coumaric acids) and anthocyanins (cyanidin-3-rutinoside and cyanidin-3-glucoside), compared with those of conventional extractions with low and high temperature and ultrasound-assisted extraction. The antioxidant extract produced from MAE could be a new alternative for the valorisation of non-compliant cherries since these extracts proved to be a functional ingredient due to the high content of antioxidants, which are linked to the prevention of diseases.

Nowadays, plant-based bioactive compounds (BCs) are a key focus of research, supporting sustainable food production and favored by consumers for their perceived safety and health advantages over synthetic options. Lavandula pedunculata (LP) is a Portuguese, native species relevant to the bioeconomy that can be useful as a source of natural BCs, mainly phenolic compounds. This study compared LP polyphenol-rich extracts from conventional maceration extraction (CE), microwave and ultrasound-assisted extraction (MAE and UAE). As a result, rosmarinic acid (58.68–48.27 mg/g DE) and salvianolic acid B (43.19–40.09 mg/g DE) were the most representative phenolic compounds in the LP extracts. The three methods exhibited high antioxidant activity, highlighting the ORAC (1306.0 to 1765.5 mg Trolox equivalents (TE)/g DE) results. In addition, the extracts obtained with MAE and CE showed outstanding growth inhibition for B. cereus, S. aureus, E. coli, S. enterica and P. aeruginosa (>50%, at 10 mg/mL). The MAE extract showed the lowest IC₅₀ (0.98 mg DE/mL) for angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibition and the best results for α-glucosidase and tyrosinase inhibition (at 5 mg/mL, the inhibition was 87 and 73%, respectively). The LP polyphenol-rich extracts were also safe on caco-2 intestinal cells, and no mutagenicity was detected. The UAE had lower efficiency in obtaining LP polyphenol-rich extracts. MAE equaled CE’s efficiency, saving time and energy. LP shows potential as a sustainable raw material, allowing diverse extraction methods to safely develop health-promoting food and nutraceutical ingredients.

The ‘Bravo de Esmolfe’ apple (BE) is rich in antioxidants and represents one of the most important traditional cultivars in Portugal. A large amount of non-compliant BE, with no market value, it is generated every year. Thus, an effort to find value-added solutions is of utmost importance. For the first time, green extraction (microwave-assisted-extraction (MAE) and ultrasound-assisted-extraction (UAE)) were compared against conventional extraction (with (CET) and without temperature (CE)) to select the most efficient process to produce a natural antioxidant extract from non-compliant BE. The results showed that MAE and CET are good methodologies for developing a BE antioxidant extract. However, MAE is more sustainable than CET, requiring less time to reach high temperatures. The MAE-extract showed great antioxidant activity (14.80 ± 0.70 mg TE/g DE by ORAC, 3.92 ± 0.25 mg AAE/g DE by ABTS, and 5.11 ± 0.13 mg TE/g DE by DPPH). This extract revealed high amount of chlorogenic acid (0.48 ± 0.07 mg/g DE), (−)-epicatechin (0.30 ± 0.02 mg/g DE) and phloridzin (0.13 ± 0.01 mg/g DE). This study shows that non-compliant BE is a useful source of antioxidants, being a sustainable way for the recovery of value-added compounds from the rejected fruit in line with sustainable and circular bioeconomy principles.

The European Union has established two designations, Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) and Protected Geographical Indication (PGI), to guarantee the authenticity of products with valued specificities associated with the regions where they are produced. The valorization of these products, particularly fruits, not only preserves their natural origins but also promotes the cultivalion of specific regional fruit varieties. This contributes to the preservation of biodiversity and the development of innovative bio-based products in the regions of production. In recent years, substantial efforts have been made to characterize PDO and PGI fruits, particularly in relation to the presence of bioactive compounds with antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. Portugal, with its diverse range of climates and geographical characteristics, is home to numerous fruits with unique flavors, textures, and appearances, many of which are now recognized with PDO or PGI seals. This review compiles data from the production of Portuguese fruits with PDO designations, such as the ‘Maça Bravo de Esmolfe’ (apple) and ‘Pera Rocha do Oeste’ (pear), and PGI designations, such as ‘Citrinos do Algarve’ (citrus)and ‘Cereja da Cova da Beira’ (cherry), and summarizes studies focusing on the bioactive compounds present in these fruits. The presence of bioactive compounds is a significant aspect of nutritious food, associated with health benefits that consumers are increasingly aware of and value.