Green and economically viable extraction of natural products: From lab to marketplace

Driven by large and increasing demand of natural compounds (lipids, alkaloids, terpenes, proteins, phenolics and glycosides) in medical, nutraceutical, pest and disease control, cosmetic, food supplement, perfumery and aromatherapy products, conventional extraction methods widely relying on distillation using oil-derived organic solvents are being replaced by green methods (1). Informed customers in the digital age do not wish to buy natural products obtained with petroleum derivatives.