Enzyme-assisted extractions of polyphenols – a comprehensive review

Background: Phenolic compounds present multiple health benefits due to their various biological activities such as antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities, while also serving as functional food ingredients as they can substitute preservatives through their antioxidant and antibacterial activities. Unfortunately, many of such compounds are not only within cytosolic spaces but are also bound within plant cellular walls. Many extraction methods to this day are not able to access such compounds and thus obtain maximum yield levels. Enzyme-assisted extraction methods are currently one of the few types of methods capable of achieving this outcome, while also implying mild reaction conditions, substrate specificity, industrial applicability and other numerous advantages. Scope and Approach: The following study aims to provide thorough insights regarding these extraction methods in the hope of further familiarizing readers with these innovative extraction methods as they are currently yet to earn wide usage. Thus, a review of current available data selected from studies observing enzyme-assisted extractions of polyphenols as well as studies concerning enzyme-assisted extractions combined with other innovative methods (such as microwave-assisted extractions, ultrasound-assisted extractions, etc.). Key findings and Conclusions: Given the presented information, enzyme-assisted extraction methods enabled increased polyphenolic compound accessibility, allowing nearly whole plant matrix exploitation, through easily manipulable process parameters. Despite these highly appreciated advantages and high feasibility, enzyme-assisted extraction methods were found to be scarcely industrially implemented as a result of their novelty. Scientific papers such as this review attempt to encourage their understanding and popularization.