Sustainable raw materials for efficient valorization and recovery of bioactive compounds

Traditionally used natural resources such as medicinal and aromatic plants are not fully valorized by modern industry which is followed by huge amount of agricultural waste, by-products and co-products. These streams could be a remarkable source of a wide range of bioactive compounds (BACs) (e.g. polyphenols, carotenoids, etc.), however, novel technological procedures for their isolation should be established. Therefore, valorization of under-utilized medicinal plants (medicinal plants from Serbia), food industry by-products (cakes obtained from oilseeds and herbal dust) and agricultural waste as raw material for recovery of BACs with high potential for utilization in pharmaceutical, cosmetic and food sector is in the great focus of investigation in last decade. The aim of this review was to highlight the recent research focused on the valorization of selected side streams and the posibilites of their utilization in isolation of various BACs. Special emphasis was put on challenges, limitations and opportunities associated with the extraction of BACs and further addition of novel extracts in the final products. Present data could be used as a guidelines for further utilization of novel raw materials in production of BACs based on their avalibility, sustainability, chemical profile and bioactive potential.