Colored (orange, pink, red, purple, and blue) corn strongly attracted attention on its healthy properties mainly due to its anthocyanin and carotenoid composition which is also responsible for its pigmentation. The present review summarized the recent updates on the extraction and chemical characterization of the main plant secondary metabolites present in colored seeds, kernel, cob, husk, and silk. The main approaches used to stabilize the extracts have been discussed as well as their food and non-food uses. Both in vitro and in vivo (animal models) studies on the different effects (antibacterial, antimutagenic, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory activities, effects on metabolic syndrome, diabetes, glucose and lipidic metabolism, and neuroprotection) of pigmented extracts on animal and human health have been summarized.

Pectin, a natural biopolymer, can be extracted from food waste biomass, adding value to raw materials. Currently, commercial pectin is mostly extracted from citrus peels (85.5%) and apple pomace (14.0%), with a small segment from sugar beet pulp (0.5%). However, driven by high market demand (expected to reach 2.12 billion by 2030), alternative agro-industrial waste is gaining attention as potential pectin sources. This review summarizes the recent advances in characterizing pectin from both conventional and emerging food waste sources. The focus is the chemical properties that affect their applications, such as the degree of esterification, the neutral sugars’ composition, the molecular weight, the galacturonic acid content, and technological–functional properties. The review also highlights recent updates in nutraceutical and food applications, considering the potential use of pectin as an encapsulating agent for intestinal targeting, a sustainable biopolymer for food packaging, and a functional and emulsifying agent in low-calorie products. It is clear from the considered literature that further studies are needed concerning the complexity of the pectin structure extracted from emerging food waste raw materials, in order to elucidate their most suitable commercial application.

The agri-food sector produces a huge amount of agri-food wastes and by-products, with a consequent great impact on environmental, economic, social, and health aspects. The reuse and recycling of by-products represents a very important issue: for this reason, the development of innovative recovery and extraction methodologies must be mandatory. In this context of a circular economy, the study of green extraction techniques also becomes a priority in substitution of traditional extraction approaches. This review is focused on the recovery of chlorogenic acids from agri-food wastes, as these compounds have an important impact on human health, exhibiting several different and important healthy properties. Novel extraction methodologies, namely microwave and ultrasound-assisted extractions, supercritical fluid extraction, and pressurized-liquid extraction, are discussed here, in comparison with conventional techniques. The great potentialities of these new innovative green and sustainable approaches are pointed out. Further investigations and optimization are mandatory before their application in industrial processes.

Coffee is reported to be among the most widely consumed beverages in the world and coffee consumption has been associated with reductions in the risk of several chronic diseases. Among its constituents, caffeine represents the most investigated component. The main impact of caffeine on health is associated with the central nervous system, the cardiovascular system, the inflammatory mechanisms, the metabolism of carbohydrates, and the cancer. Current research is devoted to the role of this compound and its analogs or derivatives on neuroinflammation and neurodegenerative disorders, mainly Alzheimer’s Disease and Parkinson’s Disease. However, coffee is also rich in polyphenols, mainly phenolic acids (chlorogenic acids, caffeic acid, ferulic acid), quinic acid, and quercetin. Many aspects still require greater clarification, including the effect of coffee compounds different from caffeine, on several pathologies. This review aimed to provide a comprehensive overview of the potential benefits of decaffeinated coffee constituents, focusing the attention on neurological processes and pathologies, such as mainly memories disorders, Parkinson’s Disease, neurophatic pain disorders, and cerebral ischemia.