Natural Antioxidant Extraction from Agricultural Residues
Summary
Agricultural operations generate vast quantities of residues—peels, husks, seeds and pomaces—that are rich in antioxidant phytochemicals yet underutilised. Valorisation of these by-products aligns with circular-economy principles and addresses rising demand for natural antioxidants in food, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. Conventional solvent extractions have gradually given way to greener routes such as supercritical fluid extraction, ultrasound-assisted extraction and microwave-assisted extraction, which aim to reduce solvent use, energy input and environmental impact while maximising yield and preserving bioactivity. A broad spectrum of residues—from cereal brans and corn silks to citrus and tomato peels, oilseed cakes and nut shells—has been investigated. Extracts containing polyphenols, flavonoids, carotenoids and tocopherols demonstrate potent radical-scavenging, metal-chelating and lipid-peroxidation-inhibiting properties. Integration of optimised extraction conditions with purification and formulation strategies has enabled application in edible oils and fats to extend shelf life, inhibit rancidity and improve nutritional profiles. Emerging efforts focus on scale-up feasibility, process integration within biorefinery cascades and life-cycle assessments to ensure sustainability of antioxidant recovery processes.
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Natural Antioxidant Extraction from Agricultural Residues publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in natural antioxidant extraction from agricultural residues across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Agricultural residues: By-products such as peels, husks, seeds and pomaces generated during crop processing or food production.
Green extraction technologies: Environmentally friendly methods that minimise solvent use and energy consumption, including supercritical fluid and ultrasound-assisted extraction.
Polyphenols: Plant secondary metabolites characterised by multiple phenolic groups with antioxidant properties.
Flavonoids: A subclass of polyphenolic compounds in plants known for radical-scavenging activity.
Oxidative stability: Resistance of lipids or other compounds to oxidative degradation during storage or processing.
Radical-scavenging activity: The ability of a substance to neutralise free radicals and prevent oxidative damage.
Lipid peroxidation: Oxidative degradation of lipids that leads to rancidity and quality loss.
References
- Valorization and characterization of corn by-product polyphenols through green extraction technologies. Frontiers in Nutrition (2023).
- Waste Pomelo (Citrus Maxima) Peels – A Natural Source of Antioxidant and Its Utilization in Peanut Oil for Suppressing the Development of Rancidity. Current Research in Nutrition and Food Science Journal (2019).
- Improving oxidative stability of ghee using natural oxidants from agri-industrial wastes. African Journal of Biotechnology (2014).
- Bioactive Compounds from Organic Waste. Molecules (2024).
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