Natural Deep Eutectic Solvents for Agro-Industrial By-Product Valorization: Emerging Strategies for the Development of Functional Foods Targeting Diabetes

What if the waste from your vegetables and fruits could become a weapon against diabetes? Natural deep eutectic solvents are turning agro-industrial by-products into goldmines of bioactive compounds.

Every year, tons of vegetable scraps, cereal husks, and fruit pomace are discarded. But these by-products hide a treasure trove of bioactive molecules—proteins, polysaccharides, polyphenols, carotenoids, and alkaloids—that could be harnessed for health. The challenge? Extracting them without harming the planet. Enter natural deep eutectic solvents (NaDESs), a class of green solvents that are stable, biodegradable, and surprisingly effective. They outperform traditional solvents like methanol and ethanol, offering a sustainable path to valorize waste.

Key Points

• NaDESs are green, stable, biodegradable, low-melting solvents.
• They extract bioactives from waste better than methanol or ethanol.
• Extracts show hypoglycemic effects, aiding diabetes management.