Wine lees, the second most significant by-product of winemaking after grape pomace, have received relatively little attention regarding their potential for valorization. Despite their rich content in bioactive components such as β-glucans, industrial utilization faces challenges, particularly due to variability in their composition. This inconsistency impacts the reliability and standardization of final products, limiting broader adoption in industrial applications. β-Glucans are dietary fibers or polysaccharides renowned for their diverse bioactive properties, including immunomodulatory, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antitumor, and cholesterol- and glucose-lowering effects. They modulate the immune system by activating Dectin-1 and TLR receptors on immune cells, enhancing phagocytosis, cytokine production, and adaptive immune responses. Their antioxidant activity arises from neutralizing free radicals and reducing oxidative stress, thereby protecting cells and tissues. β-Glucans also exhibit antitumor effects by inhibiting cancer cell growth, inducing apoptosis, and preventing angiogenesis, the formation of new blood vessels essential for tumor development. Additionally, they lower cholesterol and glucose levels by forming a viscous gel in the intestine, which reduces lipid and carbohydrate absorption, improving metabolic health. The biological activity of β-glucans varies with their molecular weight and source, further highlighting their versatility and functional potential. This study investigates how grape variety, vinification technology and extraction methods affect the yield and properties of β-glucans extracted from wine lees. The physico-chemical and mineral composition of different wine lees were analyzed, and two extraction methods of β-glucans from wine lees were tested: acid-base extraction and autolysis. These two methods were also tested under ultrasound-assisted conditions at different frequencies, as well as without the use of ultrasound. The β-glucan yield and properties were evaluated under different conditions. FTIR spectroscopy was used to assess the functional groups and structural characteristics of the β-glucans extracted from the wine lees, helping to confirm their composition and quality. Rheological behavior of the extracted β-glucans was also assessed to understand the impact of extraction method and raw material origin. The findings highlight that vinification technology significantly affects the composition of wine lees, while both the extraction method and yeast origin influence the yield and type of β-glucans obtained. The autolysis method provided higher β-glucan yields (18.95 ± 0.49% to 39.36 ± 0.19%) compared to the acid–base method (3.47 ± 0.66% to 19.76 ± 0.58%). FTIR spectroscopy revealed that the β-glucan extracts contain a variety of glucan and polysaccharide types, with distinct β-glucans (β-1,4, β-1,3, and β-1,6) identified through specific absorption peaks. The rheological behavior of suspensions exhibited pseudoplastic or shear-thinning behavior, where viscosity decreased significantly as shear rate increased. This behavior, observed across all β-glucan extracts, is typical of polymer-containing suspensions. These insights are critical for optimizing β-glucan extraction processes, supporting sustainability efforts and waste valorization in the wine industry. Efficient extraction of β-glucans from natural sources like wine lees offers a promising path toward their industrial application as valuable functional compounds.

In the dynamic landscape of the food industry, front-of-pack labeling serves as a crucial tool for "dialogue" between producers and consumers. This mechanism helps to quickly and efficiently identify nutritional characteristics and serves as an effective tool for promoting healthy eating practices through an accessible and universal language. In this context, an exploratory study was conducted by analyzing scientific works on food labeling systems, including their evolution, the characteristics of different labeling typologies, the evaluation methods as well as the challenges and prospects for the development of food labels in the future. Each labeling typology had different attributes that represent an essential tool for supporting consumers in making food choices and in promoting a healthy lifestyle, both at the individual level and in terms of public health. To establish an integrated labeling system for food products, future research should focus on improving the universal applicability of labeled items and environmental sustainability, to make labels more digital and modern in the context of ongoing social and climate change.

The growing interest in functional food ingredients and sustainable bioresources has increased the scientific focus on microbial β-glucans. These polysaccharides are recognized for their immunomodulatory, antioxidant, and prebiotic activities, with potential to improve human health and support innovative biotechnological applications. The present review is based on the hypothesis that the structural diversity of β-glucans significantly influences both their bioactivity and their suitability for industrial utilization. The main objective is to analyze the extraction and purification methods applied for recovering β- glucans from microbial sources, highlighting the relationship between molecular structure and functional properties. Classical techniques such as hot water and enzymatic extraction are compared with modern strategies including ultrasound-, microwave-, and supercritical fluid-assisted methods. Findings indicate that extraction efficiency, yield, and purity strongly depend on the method employed, while hybrid approaches enhance both bioactivity preservation and environmental sustainability. Microbial β-glucans show promising applications in food, pharmaceutical, biomedical, and cosmetic sectors, while safety considerations regarding microbial contamination and immunogenicity remain essential. The review concludes that advances in processing technologies, together with standardized characterization, will contribute to optimizing β-glucan production and to expanding their role as multifunctional bio-ingredients.