Natural antimicrobials from vegetable by-product: extraction, bioactivity and stability

Nowadays, food plant agro-industrial processes are the main principal sources of a wide range of vegetable by-products, which have been considered as residues and despite its nutritional value are still discharged by industries, and their accumulation represents a severe environmental problem. The use of these plant by-products adds value to the industry by obtaining bioactive compounds (BCs) and essential oils (EOs), which currently could have many potential applications in medicinal and food fields. These compounds are well-recognized with some health potential benefits due to their bioactive properties like antioxidant activity and as antimicrobial agents against different microorganisms. A significant part of these BCs and EOs are not directly accessible in the vegetable by-products, and some studies have been advanced in order to develop new and efficient methodologies for their extraction through an environmentally friendly process and sustainable chemistry. Hence, this chapter reviews the compounds that can be extracted from plant sources, with antioxidant and antimicrobial activities and their potential applications.