Extraction of phenolic acids, flavonoids, and triterpenes from apple pomace via supercritical technology: A systematic review

Bioactive compounds can interact with one or more components of living tissue, providing a wide range of potential effects. An alternative source for obtaining bioactive compounds is biomass: it is possible to valorize residual biomass from agricultural activities by reinserting it into the production chain. This work aims to identify trends in the use of bioactive, phenolic, and antioxidant compounds from apple pomace (AP) and to evaluate how supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) can be applied for this purpose. To this end, a bibliometric analysis is carried out to highlight the areas of study that are already well developed and to verify the existing opportunities for new studies. By evaluating the studies retrieved in this bibliometric search, it is possible to observe the evolution of research topics around characterizing, obtaining, and applying bioactive compounds from AP. Some opportunities for study lie in the development of sustainable extraction techniques, providing the recovery of bioactives with less environmental impact, as well as the development of economically viable processes with increased scale in the functional foods and pharmaceutical applications sectors. Finally, the integration of various methods for the exhaustive use of apples and their pomace is pointed out as a trend for future studies, leading to the circularization of the production chain through the implementation of biorefineries.