Supercritical fluid extraction of bioactives from fruit waste and its therapeutic potential

Fruits are a rich source of bioactive compounds and form a major component of the total horticultural produce. Unfortunately, fruit wastes that contains a wide range of bioactive compounds such as phenolics, minerals, dietary fibre, vitamins, oils, and enzymes, to name a few, are discarded. The post-processing by-products of fruit processing industries include the peel, pomace, and seeds. Owing to the presence substantial contents of bioactive compounds, these fruit by-products have been explored for the recovery of bioactives using several extraction techniques. Amongst the various techniques studied for the extraction of bioactives, supercritical fluid extraction (SCFE) has captured the interest of researchers, mainly because it overcomes the limitations posed by conventional extraction methods. This review discusses SCFE as a green technique for the extraction of bioactives (polyphenols, vitamins, pigments and fatty acids) from fruit wastes, and factors that affect SCFE therefrom. Furthermore, the bioactivities of these components such as anti-diabetic, anti-oxidants, anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, anti-cancer, cardioprotective, and neuroprotective agents have been highlighted. Lastly, future prospects of using SCFE for ensuring optimal extraction of bioactives and their potential biological and food applications have been discussed.