Solid-liquid extraction of polyphenols

Phenolics are among the most studied compounds due to their beneficial implications in human health. The conventional methods applied in the extraction of these compounds include maceration, distillation, Soxhlet, among others, and the extraction capacity depends on several factors, such as the extraction solvent and respective concentration, time, and temperature. The incorporation of green chemistry in the development of more sustainable products and processes has promoted the use of new solvents that would replace conventional ones and the application of more eco-sustainable technologies (e.g., supercritical fluids, pulsed electric fields, and ultrasounds). Green solvents, coupled with conventional extraction methods, present excellent stability for food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries because they are non-toxic, non-volatile, recyclable, biodegradable, and imply lower energy cost of synthesis. In this chapter, traditional and eco-sustainable methods based on solid–liquid extraction will be revised, as well as safety issues, life-cycle assessment, and economic aspects.