Extraction Technologies for Horticultural Crops

Fruits and vegetables play a vital role in horticultural trade due to their high value. They are consumed in both raw and processed form and provide beneficial components that promote health. These commodities serve as crucial raw materials for agro-based processing industries. During the processing of fruits and vegetables, a significant amount of waste is generated, primarily consisting of peels, seeds, and rags. These wastes are rich in bioactives which after extraction are valuable additives for the food and pharmaceutical industries. Additionally, effective utilization of waste can help combat environmental pollution issues. This chapter focuses on extracting bioactive compounds from horticultural crops using various conventional and non-conventional methods, such as maceration, percolation, soxhlet extraction, supercritical fluid extraction, pressurized hot water extraction, pressurized liquid extraction, ultrasound-assisted extraction, microwave-assisted extraction, pulsed electric field-assisted extraction, and enzyme-assisted extraction. This comprehensive approach will enable readers to harness appropriate technologies for extracting the beneficial components present in horticultural crops.