Recovery, encapsulation and stabilization of bioactives from food residues using high pressure techniques

• State of the art and patent review on high pressure particle formation methods.
• Micro/nano particle formation of carotenoids, PUFAs, and vitamins.
• Main solvents for particle formation at high pressures are SC-CO2 and ethanol.
• Polysaccharides and protein coatings have been commonly used.

An incredible amount of research activity has focused on particle formation of carotenoids, oils rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids, and vitamins using high-pressure systems. The most common fluid used is supercritical carbon dioxide (SC-CO2) for drying or encapsulation of bioactives. Recently, new approaches have been developed based on combined unit operations, starting from the use of agro-industrial residues to extract specific bioactives with pressurized fluids followed by particle formation with SC-CO2 to generate ingredients for the functional food and nutraceutical applications. This review provides an overview of the basic principles of pressurized fluid technology, particle formation methods, summary of recent studies and patents, and future prospects of particle functionality in the food and in the body.

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