Crithmum maritimum L. is a halophyte with antioxidant and antimicrobial potential for the food industry. Pruning generates a by-product composed of woody stems, old leaves, and flowers. To valorize this underutilized and largely unexplored biomass, food-grade polar extraction (hydroethanolic vs. aqueous) was applied. The extracts were characterized for their bioactive compounds (polyphenols, tocopherols, carotenoids, total phenols (TPC) and total flavonoids (TFC)). Further, the extracts were assessed for their in vitro antioxidant activity (ABTS, DPPH, FRAP, and β-carotene bleaching) and antimicrobial activity against eight target strains ascribed to Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Listeria innocua. The hydroethanolic extract exhibited higher concentration of bioactives compared to the water extract and raw by-product. The β-carotene bleaching test revealed that both extracts are potent inhibitors of lipid peroxidation. The aqueous extract showed no antimicrobial activity, while the ethanolic extract exhibited strain-dependent behavior against S. aureus and L. innocua but not E. coli. The minimum inhibitory concentration and the minimum bactericidal concentration of the ethanolic extract against S. aureus were 2.5 MIC and 10.0 MBC mg/mL, respectively. Ethanolic extracts could potentially be used in food formulations to enhance lipid peroxidation resistance and antimicrobial capacity as food-grade natural preservatives.

Agro-industrial processes generate large volumes of by-products rich in proteins, lipids, and bioactives, yet their valorization remains limited. Black soldier fly larvae (BSFLs) offer a sustainable route to convert these residues into nutrient-rich biomass. We evaluated six seasonal by-product diets (pea–chickpea, chickpea–green bean, wheat–green bean, spinach–chickpea, tomato–chickpea, tomato–wheat) and profiled diets and larvae for tocopherols, carotenoids, fatty acids, and amino acids; principal component analysis assessed assimilation patterns. Larvae did not mirror diets but clustered into two compositional regimes, indicating selective metabolism. Tomato-based diets enhanced larval α-tocopherol (22.54 mg/kg dw) and lycopene (6.87 mg/kg dw), while spinach-based diets contributed higher lutein and other xanthophylls. Significant diet–larvae correlations were observed for lycopene (r = 0.6719) and β-cryptoxanthin (r = 0.5845). Across treatments, lauric (C12:0) and palmitic (C16:0) acids remained dominant, confirming the conserved BSFL lipid hierarchy (SFA > MUFA > PUFA). Amino acid profiles were relatively stable, with lysine and glutamic acid prevailing among essential and non-essential classes. Overall, BSFLs enriched with tocopherols and provitamin A carotenoids offer functional benefits for oxidative stability and micronutrient restoration, underscoring their dual role in waste valorization and nutritional enhancement within circular food and feed systems.

The increasing demand for clean labels and sustainable food systems has driven research into natural antioxidants in food preservation. This study examined rooibos ( Aspalathus linearis ), a South African herbal plant abundant in polyphenols and flavonoids, possessing multifunctional bioactivity, as a natural antioxidant for meat preservation. The effect of rooibos extracts as marinades in raw minced pork during refrigerated storage was assessed, focusing on their implications for chemical and microbiological stability. Pork loin was marinated for 24 h with liquid and dried green and red rooibos extracts, containing equivalent amounts of total polyphenols. Subsequently, meat samples were minced and stored at 4°C for up to 13 days. Meat safety and stability were assessed during storage through physicochemical parameters, lipid oxidation indices, and microbiological indicators, including, peroxide value (PV), thiobarbituric acid reactive substances value (TBARS), oxidized coenzyme Q ₁₀ , coliforms, biogenic amines, pH, color, and water activity (a _w ). Among the parameters evaluated, PV ranged from 0.16–1.44 and 0.21–1.07 meqO ₂ /kg of meat in liquid and dry treatments, respectively. Liquid‐marinated samples consistently showed a _w values above 0.98, whereas dry‐marinated samples ranged between 0.95 and 0.97. Biogenic amine index ranged between 5–10 mg/kg in dry‐marinated samples, whereas liquid‐marinated samples exceeded 50 mg/kg after 3 days. Dry marination efficiently counteracted malondialdehyde (MDA), coliforms and biogenic amines levels, meanwhile liquid marinade samples showed reduced PV and oxidized CoQ _10. Overall, these findings suggest that rooibos extracts can act as supporting antioxidant ingredients offering a step toward sustainable and safe food preservation practices and clean‐label trends.