Overview and Toxicity Assessment of Ultrasound-Assisted Extraction of Natural Ingredients from Plants

• Published in: Foods Vol. 13; no. 19; p. 3066
• Main Authors: Demesa, Abayneh Getachew, Saavala, Soila, Pöysä, Marjo, Koiranen, Tuomas
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 26.09.2024; MDPI
• Subjects: Amino acids; Carotenoids; Cavitation; Efficiency; Energy consumption; extraction; Flavonoids; Food industry; Food plants; Food processing; Food products; Food safety; Food sources; Food technology; Force and energy; Free radicals; Fruits; Functional foods & nutraceuticals; Ingredients; Methods; Natural & organic foods; natural ingredients; Natural products; Oxidation; Particle size; Phytochemicals; Plant-based foods; Polyphenols; Proteins; Review; Side reactions; Solvents; Technology assessment; Temperature; Thermal energy; Toxic substances; Toxicity; Ultrasonic imaging; Ultrasound; Vegetables; United Arab Emirates; toxicity; phytochemicals; extraction; natural ingredients; ultrasound
• ISSN: 2304-8158; 2304-8158
• DOI: 10.3390/foods13193066

In different food technology unit operations, toxicity can be increased due to unwanted side reactions and is typically associated with the increased thermal energy that facilitates the latter. Authorities in food technology have not provided clear guidelines on using ultrasound (US), but they also have not prohibited its use in food processing. In this study, the source materials and ultrasound-assisted reactions reported in the literature were reviewed to investigate potential side reactions in ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE). Industrial or pilot-scale processes published in the open literature and in industry patents were also examined. UAE is a highly effective extraction method that significantly increases extraction yields. According to the literature, there is no direct evidence of the formation of toxic compounds from natural food ingredients caused by UAE. However, experimental studies are urgently needed to assess the potential accumulation of toxic substances, especially in the case of certain plants.