Green Extraction of Natural Antioxidants from Agro-Food and Marine Bioresources Using Vegetable Oils

What if the secret to greener, cleaner extraction of nature's antioxidants was already sitting in your kitchen cabinet? Vegetable oils are stepping out of the frying pan and into the lab.

Forget harsh solvents—vegetable oils are emerging as food-grade heroes in the quest to pull valuable antioxidants from plants and marine leftovers. This review explores their wide-ranging potential, from coaxing out carotenoids and curcuminoids to capturing cannabinoids and volatile aromas. These oils can transform agro-food by-products and marine resources into enriched, infused extracts ready for food or cosmetic use.

But it's not all smooth blending. Most research zeroes in on fine-tuning extraction conditions and measuring the physical and chemical traits of the resulting oily extracts. However, there's a catch: lipid oxidation—the same process that makes oil go rancid—poses a real stability challenge. The authors don't shy away from these drawbacks, weighing the advantages against the need for careful storage and formulation.

Ultimately, the characterization of these oily extracts is tightly linked to their intended application. Whether destined for a salad dressing or a face cream, the infused oil must meet specific standards. This review offers a balanced, practical look at a greener extraction path—one that's as much about solving problems as celebrating potential.

Key Points

• Vegetable oils as food-grade solvents for antioxidants
• Extracts carotenoids, curcuminoids, cannabinoids, and more
• Lipid oxidation stability is a key challenge