In an era where sustainability, circular economy principles and consumer demand for “clean-label” foods increasingly drive innovation, extraction processes in the agri-food sector are undergoing a profound transformation. What was once a largely conventional operation—often high in energy use, solvent consumption and waste—is now being re-imagined through “green extraction techniques.” These are methods designed to reduce environmental impact, preserve bioactive compounds, valorise side-streams, and enable new business models around food and health. For projects such as CROSSPATHS, which focus on healthy, sustainable and affordable food by leveraging regional infrastructures across Europe, green extraction methods represent a key technological lever to deliver innovation across borders.

1. What are green extraction techniques and why they matter

Green extraction techniques refer to extraction processes designed in line with the principles of green chemistry: minimising energy consumption, reducing or replacing hazardous solvents, using renewable materials or by-products, maximising efficiency, and turning waste into value.(MDPI) Recent reviews confirm that extraction methods such as ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE), microwave-assisted extraction (MAE), supercritical fluid extraction (SFE), enzyme-assisted extraction (EAE), and pulsed electric field (PEF) are increasingly used in food industry contexts.(Taylor & Francis Online) The importance of these methods is multifold: by improving yield, reducing time, lowering solvent usage, and preserving nutritious or functional compounds, they support both sustainability (less waste, less chemical input, less energy) and innovation (new ingredients, up-cycled side-streams, healthier food products).

For example, one study of fruit and vegetable waste valorisation found that green extraction methods achieved higher yields of bioactive compounds, reduced solvent use and shortened extraction time compared to conventional methods.(PubMed) In the context of agri-food systems trying to respond to climate change, resource constraints and consumer pressure, green extraction is therefore not just a techno-optimisation: it is a strategic shift in how value is recovered from biomass, side-streams and by-products.

2. Key green extraction technologies and their applications

Let’s explore some of the major green extraction technologies and their relevance for the agri-food innovation ecosystem.

Ultrasound-Assisted Extraction (UAE): This technique uses ultrasonic waves (e.g., in the 20–100 kHz range) to create cavitation, which enhances mass transfer and disrupts cell walls, thereby increasing extraction efficiency, reducing extraction time and enabling lower temperatures or less solvent.(MDPI) UAE is frequently applied for recovering polyphenols, carotenoids, essential oils from plant matrices or by-products and is increasingly scalable.(MDPI)

Microwave-Assisted Extraction (MAE): Microwave energy rapidly heats the solvent and matrix, reducing extraction time and enabling extraction under milder conditions. Combined with other techniques (e.g., ultrasound + microwave) it can further boost efficiency.(jmhsr.com)

Supercritical Fluid Extraction (SFE): Using supercritical CO₂ or other fluids, this technique allows extraction without or with very low levels of organic solvents, at moderate temperatures and with adjustable solvating power, making it suitable for heat-sensitive bioactives.(ResearchGate)

Enzyme-Assisted Extraction (EAE): Use of enzymes (e.g., cellulases, pectinases) to break down cell walls and release bioactives under mild conditions reduces energy and solvent use and is compatible with side-stream valorisation.(MDPI)

Pulsed Electric Field (PEF) and Pressurised Liquid Extraction (PLE): These methods apply electric fields or high pressure/temperature to enhance extraction kinetics. PEF can disrupt cell membranes and enhance release of compounds; PLE uses elevated temperature and pressure to accelerate extraction with less solvent.(jmhsr.com)

The combined effect of these technologies is to open new possibilities: extraction of high-value compounds from residues (e.g., fruit peels, vegetable waste), creation of functional ingredients, integration into circular bio-economy value chains, and improved product quality (bioavailability, stability, lower degradation). For instance, one review of biomass sources (microalgae, food waste, lignocellulosic biomass) emphasises how these green techniques enable recovery of pigments, antioxidants, fatty acids, and other bioactives in a more sustainable way.(MDPI)

3. Linking green extraction to the CROSSPATHS project and its aims

Within the CROSSPATHS framework, green extraction techniques provide a clear strategic pathway to realise the project’s overarching goal of healthy, sustainable, affordable food solutions via cross-border collaboration and shared infrastructure.

Firstly, CROSSPATHS brings together regional infrastructures across Poland, Portugal and Estonia, each with strengths in allied areas (e.g., food processing and side-stream valorisation, green extraction of plant bioactives, in vivo validation of health-promoting foods). Utilising green extraction methods aligns with those strengths and enables value-chain integration: e.g., extraction of bioactives via green methods (Portugal), processing side streams into ingredients (Estonia), validating health effects (Poland). By using green extraction, the consortium increases the value-capture from regional side-streams, moves toward circular economy models, and strengthens cross-border value chains that span from extraction through validation to market. (See CROSSPATHS site for partner roles.)

Secondly, CROSSPATHS aims to better use ERDF-funded research infrastructures by enhancing their international visibility and linking them to Horizon Europe. Infrastructure for extraction (pilot extraction lines, green solvent systems, supercritical units) is increasingly demanded by advanced food innovation projects. By focusing on green extraction, the consortium strengthens the attractiveness of its infrastructures and demonstrates sophistication in sustainability-oriented food technology.

Thirdly, the adoption of green techniques supports affordability and sustainability—two of the project’s key dimensions. Extracting high-value compounds from what would otherwise be waste helps reduce cost of inputs, valorise by-products and contribute to circular economy logic. In turn, the processed ingredients can help produce healthier and more affordable food products, aligning with CROSSPATHS’ ambitions.

Finally, the cross-border nature of the consortium means that green extraction innovations developed in one region can be transferred, adapted and scaled in other partner regions. This fosters learning, institutional capacity building and shared infrastructure usage, and strengthens cross-regional innovation networks.

4. Benefits, opportunities and the sustainable revolution

Adopting green extraction techniques brings a range of benefits and opportunities for the agri-food sector:

• Environmental sustainability: Lower solvent usage, lower energy consumption, reduced hazardous waste, improved extraction efficiency.(Taylor & Francis Online)
• Value-chain efficiency: Extraction from residues and by-products moves toward zero-waste models, unlocking additional value streams and improving resource efficiency.(PMC)
• Health and functional ingredients: Higher yields of bioactives (polyphenols, carotenoids, vitamins, etc) under gentler extraction conditions mean better product quality and better marketing narratives (clean label, natural ingredients).(MDPI)
• Market differentiation and new business models: Up-cycling side-streams, creating speciality ingredients, tapping into health/nutrition markets and partnering with food, nutraceutical or functional-food firms.
• Cross-regional & circular-economy synergy: Especially in projects like CROSSPATHS, green extraction enables cross-border collaboration, shared infrastructure, and scaling of sustainable processing across multiple countries.

In short, green extraction represents a sustainable revolution: not only replacing old methods, but re-imagining extraction as a strategic value-creation step within sustainable food systems.

5. Challenges and considerations in implementing green extraction

While green extraction offers many promises, realising its potential at scale involves tackling several challenges.

Capital and infrastructure investment: Many green extraction methods require specialised equipment (ultrasound reactors, supercritical fluid units, specialised solvent systems). Smaller regional infrastructures may face cost and scale issues. Scaling pilot methods to industrial capacity remains a barrier.(MDPI)

Technical scaling and standardisation: Laboratory successes do not always translate to industrial scale. There can be issues with process control, reproducibility, equipment design, energy vs yield trade-offs, solvent recovery. The ultrasound review noted the gap between lab-scale and commercial implementation.(MDPI)

Regulatory and safety aspects: Even “green” extraction must satisfy food-safety, solvent-residue, processing-validation, traceability, labelling and regulatory compliance. For example, deep-eutectic solvents or novel fluid systems may require regulatory assessment.

Supply-chain integration and business viability: Extraction is only part of the value-chain: ingredient quality, downstream processing, market acceptance, cost competitiveness, and logistics matter. If extraction costs are high or ingredient markets small, business models may struggle.

Skills and human-resources: Operating advanced extraction systems requires trained personnel (process engineers, chemists, food technologists). Without appropriate skills development and infrastructure usage, extraction equipment may under-perform.

Cross-border adaptation and collaboration: For a project like CROSSPATHS, green extraction systems developed in one country must be adaptable and transferable across regions (soil/climate differences, supply-streams, regulatory regimes, infrastructure readiness). This requires coordination, standardisation and institutional capacity.

Addressing these challenges is essential for green extraction to transition from pilot to mainstream and to fulfil its potential in a sustainable food-innovation ecosystem.

6. Strategic recommendations for stakeholders

For research institutions and infrastructure providers:

• Prioritise installing and utilising green extraction pilot systems (e.g., ultrasound, supercritical fluid, enzyme-assisted) and link them into a shared regional-international network (as CROSSPATHS does).
• Focus on side-stream valorisation cases: evaluate the local biomass (agricultural by-products, waste), potential high-value extractables, and build extraction pathways aligned with circular-economy logic.
• Invest in skills training (process engineering, green solvent chemistry, scale-up) and promote cross-border collaboration to share best practices and infrastructure access.

For industry and food producers:

• Engage early with research infrastructures offering green extraction services to test novel ingredients, side-stream valorisation and reduced-waste processes.
• Consider the whole value-chain: from biomass availability, extraction cost, downstream processing, regulatory compliance and market feasibility of resulting ingredients.
• Use green extraction as a differentiator (sustainability credentials, circular economy story, clean label) in branding and product development.

For policy-makers and funders:

• Support funding programmes that promote green extraction infrastructure, especially in “widening” regions where such infrastructure may be under-utilised.
• Encourage cross-border networks of extraction infrastructure, shared access and international linkage (mirroring CROSSPATHS).
• Promote standards, regulatory frameworks and guidelines for novel extraction methods and green solvents to reduce risk and accelerate adoption.

For consortia and network builders:

• Embed green extraction technology development within cross-border, multi-institution projects, linking extraction partners with processing and validation partners (as CROSSPATHS does).
• Foster demonstration cases of extraction → ingredient → food product in multiple regions, so lessons and scale-up are shared.
• Create knowledge-exchange platforms, training modules and mobility for staff to build capacity in green extraction techniques across regions.

7. Looking ahead: the future of green extraction in agri-food innovation

As we look to the future, several trends suggest green extraction will become increasingly central to agri-food innovation:

• Greater integration with circular bio-economy models: Biomass side-streams will increasingly be treated as feedstocks for extraction of valuable compounds rather than waste. Green extraction enables this shift.
• Extraction as flexible, modular, decentralised unit operations: Instead of large central plants, modular extraction units may be located near biomass sources, enabling regional value-capture and reduced transport.
• Digitalisation and automation of extraction processes: Real-time monitoring, AI-optimised extraction parameters, smart solvent-recovery systems, energy-optimised processes will improve efficiency and viability.
• Green solvent and fluid innovation: Deep-eutectic solvents (DES), bio-solvents, ionic liquids and supercritical fluids will become more mainstream, further reducing environmental footprint.(MDPI)
• Multi-technique hybrid extraction systems: Combining ultrasound, microwave, enzyme-assisted and PEF in optimised sequences to maximise yield, minimise energy and solvent consumption.
• Cross-regional scaling and standardisation: As extraction technologies mature, sharing protocols, equipment access and standards across borders (as in CROSSPATHS) will accelerate uptake.
• Ingredient innovation and personalised nutrition: As functional ingredients derived via green extraction become more available and cost-effective, opportunities in personalised nutrition, functional foods, clean-label products will expand.

In this evolving landscape, stakeholders who invest in green extraction now—and embed it in cross-border collaboration, infrastructure sharing and skills development—are likely to lead in the transformation of sustainable agri-food systems.

8. Conclusion

Green extraction techniques are more than incremental improvements—they represent a sustainable revolution in the agri-food sector. By reducing energy and solvent use, valorising side-streams, preserving bioactive compounds and enabling circular-economy value chains, these methods open new pathways for innovation. Within the context of CROSSPATHS, green extraction aligns perfectly with the project’s mission: healthier, sustainable, affordable food via cross-border infrastructure synergy and innovation networks. The realisation of this potential will depend on navigating challenges around capital investment, scale-up, skills, regulatory compliance and cross-regional adaptation. But with strategic investment, cross-border collaboration and institutional capacity-building, green extraction is set to become a major contributor to the next generation of food systems.

References

Majid, I. (2023). Recent insights into green extraction techniques as a sustainable development tool. Journal of Food Process Engineering. (Taylor & Francis Online)
Martins, R., et al. (2023). Green Extraction Techniques of Bioactive Compounds. Processes. (MDPI)
Şahin, S. (2024). Green Extraction and Valorization of By-Products for the Food Industry. Food & Bioproducts Processing. (PMC)
García, S. L., et al. (2022). Green extraction techniques from fruit and vegetable waste: A review. (PubMed)
Irianto, I., (2025). Green technologies in food colourant extraction. Food Chemistry. (ScienceDirect)
Mgoma, S. T., (2025). A systematic review on sustainable extraction of bioactive compounds with ultrasound. Processes. (MDPI)

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