Review of alternative solvents for green extraction of food and natural products: Panorama, principles, applications and prospects

Modern industries rely massively on petroleum-based solvents to extract natural products, yet despite staggering energy consumption and solvent use, yields are often reported in mere decimals. Could a new wave of alternative green solvents finally solve this century-old dilemma?

From perfumes and cosmetics to pharmaceuticals, biofuels, and food ingredients, almost all industrial extraction processes depend on conventional solvents. This heavy reliance makes predicting the overall environmental impact exceptionally difficult. To replace petroleum-derived chemistry, an ideal alternative solvent must be safe, highly soluble, easily biodegradable, derived from renewable resources, affordable, and fully recyclable without harming the environment.

Finding a single liquid that checks every single box is a formidable scientific challenge. In practice, choosing the optimum solvent always involves a careful compromise tailored to the specific industrial process, raw plant material, and target molecules.

This comprehensive review provides a vivid roadmap of current knowledge regarding alternative green solvents used in both laboratories and factories. It highlights original methods, cutting-edge innovations, advanced protocols, and the ongoing development of safer, sustainable products for the future.

Key Points

• Industries rely heavily on petroleum-based extraction solvents
• Ideal green solvents must be renewable, safe, and biodegradable
• Choosing the right solvent requires a process-specific compromise