INFORM May 2026

32 INFORM MAY 2026, VOL. 37, NO. 5

ANALYTICAL ARTICLES PICKED BY RESEARCHERS This column highlights articles from non-AOCS journals to complement the AOCS member benefit of access to full journal articles.

A REVIEW OF DEFATTING PROCESSES USING SUSTAINABLE SOLVENTS: PARALLELS BETWEEN SEED AND FISH OIL SOURCES Mazzara, E. and Tiwari, B. K., Sustainable Food Technology , Advance Article, 2026. Conventional defatting and oil removal processes, employed for both oilseed and fish biomasses, are mainly based on petrochemical solvents like hexane. The noteworthy drawbacks of these efficient methods include the presence of residues in the products, environmental pollution, and high risks for the operators. This review aims at comparing conventional hexane extraction with alternative and sustainable defatting solvents, highlighting the parallel advantages, limitations, and research gaps identified in seed and fish oil processing. Current advances in clean and sustainable defatting solvents, including alcohols, terpenes, deep and natural deep eutectic solvents, ionic liquids, 2-methyloxolane, supercritical carbon dioxide, and vegetable oils, are covered, emphasising their chemical, physical, and safety properties. Actual constraints, mainly in terms of economic and technical feasibility and applicability, or industrial exploitation and scalability, are also mentioned, along with possible approaches for a more successful employment of these promising solvents. In this review, a parallel evaluation is also made in terms of main gaps and perspectives related to diverse pre-treatments for the optimisation of seed and fish defatting.

CHARACTERIZATION, EXTRACTION, AND FUNCTIONAL-NUTRITIONAL PROPERTIES OF INSECT PROTEINS AND LIPIDS FOR FOOD APPLICATIONS Ktil, N., et al. , Future Foods , 13, 100904, 2026. Insect-derived proteins and lipids offer a sustainable alternative to conventional food ingredients, characterized by high nutritional value, functional versatility, and efficient resource utilization. Insect proteins exhibit favorable amino acid composition and functional properties, including solubility, emulsification, and gelation. Their lipids contain species-dependent combinations of saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated fatty acids, notably oleic and linoleic acids that contribute to nutritional quality. This review explores extraction and processing techniques that optimize the functional and nutritional properties of insect-based proteins and oils. Alkaline solubilization, isoelectric precipitation, and enzymatic hydrolysis enhance protein recovery, while solvent extraction, mechanical pressing, and supercritical CO 2 extraction improve lipid purity and bioactive retention. Functional properties such as emulsification, foaming, and gelation support diverse food applications. Nutritionally, insect proteins exhibit favorable digestibility and amino acid profiles, while insect lipids provide essential polyunsaturated fatty acids and antioxidative compounds. Challenges remain in allergenicity mitigation, consumer acceptance, and large-scale processing. Advanced refinement techniques and sustainable extraction methods enhance stability and

Ryan J. Stoklosa is a research chemical engineer and lead scientist for the USDA, Agricultural Research Service located in Wyndmoor, Pennsylvania. His research focuses on technologies to convert plant biomass into fuels and high value chemicals. New sources of lipids or proteins and improved extraction methods using more sustainable solvents is an active area of research. This first article is a review that discusses the comparison of conventional hexane extraction with alternative and sustainable defatting solvents used to recover oil from both plant seeds and fish. A specific focus is given to the constraints on the use of these solvents such as economics, technical feasibility, and scalability. The second article delves into the potential of insect-derived proteins and lipids as a sustainable option to conventional food ingredients. The review article explores extraction and processing techniques that can optimize the functional and nutritional properties for these proteins and oils. The final article is a standardization study that evaluates the impact of solvent type and extraction time on lipid yield from brewers’ spent grain.