INFORM November/December 2025

34 • inform November/December 2025, Vol. 36 (10)

extraction methods, and summarizes key antioxidants (polyphenols, carotenoids, tocopherols) obtained from various plant sources (fruits, vegetables, herbs, agro-industrial wastes) via SFE. Industrial case stud ies in food, cosmetic, and nutraceutical sectors are discussed, includ ing economic and scalability considerations and regulatory/safety aspects. While SFE offers higher selectivity and often improved yields with negligible solvent residues, challenges such as high capital costs and technical complexity persist. Recent innovations – from hybrid extraction systems and process intensification strategies to AI-driven optimization – are highlighted as future directions to enhance SFE efficiency and integration at industrial scale. These advancements posi tion SFE as a key enabling technology for sustainable production of natural antioxidants, aligning with the growing demand for green pro cesses and clean-label products. Green valorization of coffee industry residues: Emerging innovations and their role in sustainable food and feed applications Urugo, M.M., et al. , Applied Food Research , 5, 2, 101181, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.afres.2025.101181 The coffee industry produces substantial amounts of by-prod ucts, including pulp, husk, silverskin, and spent coffee grounds (SCG), which are often discarded as waste. These residues are, how ever, rich in valuable bioactive compounds, dietary fiber, proteins, and lipids, offering significant potential for sustainable valorization. This review provides a comprehensive synthesis of recent advance ments in the green valorization of coffee industry residues, with a particular focus on their applications in food and feed systems. It explores the compositional properties of various coffee by-products and examines a wide range of emerging transformation technologies. These include biological processes such as fermentation for produc ing organic acids, enzymes, and single-cell proteins; green extraction techniques such as supercritical CO₂, microwave-assisted, and ultra sound-assisted extraction for the recovery of antioxidants, caffeine, and phenolic compounds; and chemical conversions like hydro lysis and Maillard reactions to generate fermentable sugars, prebi otics, and flavor compounds. Novel approaches such as solid-state fermentation and encapsulation are also discussed for their potential to enhance the functional value of these residues. The valorization of coffee by-products not only supports environmental sustainabil ity but also contributes to the development of circular food sys tems. Particular attention is given to the role of these innovations in improving food and feed quality. Addressing key challenges, includ ing variability in residue composition and integration into supply chains, is essential to fully realize the potential of coffee industry by-products in future food and feed innovation. Towards sustainable food packaging using natural compounds: A review of current research update Nahar, L., et al. , Food and Bioproducts Processing , 150, 260, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fbp.2025.01.015 The food packaging industry faces significant challenges due to the negative impacts of conventional packaging materials, particu

larly plastics. These materials contribute to pollution, degrade slowly, and pose risks to both human health and the environment through chemical leaching. Consequently, there is an increasing demand for safer and more sustainable packaging alternatives. Natural com pounds, including biopolymers and bioactive substances, provide biodegradable options that mitigate these risks. This review examines various natural materials used for environmentally friendly packag ing, such as essential oils, plant extracts, polysaccharides, proteins, lipids, chitosan, cellulose, and starch. This review highlights recent innovations, including advanced biopolymer formulations, hybrid materials, and nanotechnology-based enhancements, which improve the mechanical, antimicrobial, and antioxidant properties of natural packaging solutions. It also presents comparative analyses of these materials, addressing biodegradation rates, life-cycle assessments (LCAs), and their environmental benefits relative to traditional plas tics. The review further investigates challenges related to scalabil ity, cost-effectiveness, and regulatory barriers, while also discussing emerging technologies such as machine learning for optimizing materials. The findings offer actionable insights that promote sustain able food packaging solutions aimed at addressing global health and environmental concerns. Biolubricants from waste cooking oil: A review of extraction technologies, conversion techniques, and performance enhancement using natural antioxidants Teh, J.L., et al ., Journal of Environmental Management , 375, 124267, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2025.124267 Effective management of agricultural and industrial by-products is essential for promoting circular economic practices and enhancing environmental sustainability. Agri-food wastes and waste cooking oil (WCO) represent two abundant residual streams with significant potential for sustainable biolubricant production. Valorizing biomass and WCO aligns with Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 7, as it improves energy efficiency through enhanced lubricant performance and reduced energy loss. Furthermore, this sustainable approach contributes to SDG 12 and SDG 13 by minimizing waste produc tion and accumulation, thereby mitigating negative environmental impacts and climate change. This critical review addresses existing gaps in the production of biolubricants from WCO and the incor poration of natural antioxidants as versatile additives. It examines and compares various techniques for the extraction, chemical and physical modification, and characterization of WCO-derived bio lubricants. Specific methods, including esterification, transester ification, and antioxidant incorporation, are evaluated for their effectiveness in converting WCO into biolubricants. The review also discusses the influence of residual bioactive compounds on oxidative stability and lubricating properties. While vegetable oils demonstrate superior friction-reducing capabilities compared to petroleum-based lubricants, their triglyceride structure often results in poor oxidative stability, limiting their practical applications. Modification strategies and antioxidant inclusion are proposed to enhance this stability. A comprehensive analysis of the physicochemical properties and tribological performance of biolubricants, both pre- and post-processing, is presented. This systematic evaluation of