Valorization of bioactive compounds from food by-products using supercritical fluid extraction: A technological and industrial perspective.

Food loss and waste (FLW) present significant challenges worldwide, affecting food supply, economic efficiency, and environmental sustainability. Supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) offers a promising solution for valorizing food by-products, addressing challenges related to FLW through efficient extraction of bioactive compounds. This review evaluates SFE's efficacy in extracting high-value compounds, including phenolics, terpenes, terpenoids, essential fatty acids, and dietary fibers, from food by-products. In addition, recent technological advancements are explored, with a focus on optimizing processing parameters, pretreatment methods, and integrating sequential extraction techniques to improve SFE efficiency. Industrial applications and the potential for broader commercial adoption are discussed, with attention to scalability, economic feasibility, and regulatory considerations. In conclusion, SFE is presented as a sustainable approach for converting food by-products into high-value bioactives. The integration of complementary technologies and further research on scalability are crucial for overcoming current limitations.