Green Technology for Extraction of Bioactive Compounds from Edible Plants

Imagine your face cream and your dinner sharing the same secret ingredient—bioactive compounds from plants. But getting them out is the real challenge, and green tech is rewriting the rules.

Bioactive compounds are the quiet workhorses behind functional foods, cosmetics, and even pharmaceuticals. But before they can work their magic, they must be coaxed out of plant cells—and that extraction step is the make-or-break moment. Traditional methods often demand harsh solvents and heavy energy, but a shift is underway. Between 2020 and 2024, researchers have been mapping smarter, safer ways to do the job.

Key Points

• Extraction is the critical first step in isolating bioactive compounds.
• Green methods balance economic, social, and environmental needs.
• Review covers 2020–2024 green extraction technologies from plants.