Emerging Technologies for Sustainable Extraction and Valorization of Bioactive Compounds from Coffee Beans and By-Products: Principles, Bioactivity Enhancement, and Industrial Perspectives

Vera W.; Quevedo-Olaya J.L.; Samaniego-Rafaele C.; Culqui-Arce C.; Sánchez-Chero M.J.; Quispe-Santivañez G.W.; Salvador-Reyes R. · Biomass (Switzerland) (2026) · DOI: 10.3390/biomass6020018

Resumen

The sustainable processing of coffee requires not only improving the efficiency of conventional operations but also advancing the recovery and valorization of bioactive compounds across the coffee value chain. In this context, emerging technologies offer eco-efficient alternatives to conventional extraction methods. This review summarizes recent advances in ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE), high-pressure extraction (HPE), cold atmospheric plasma (CAP), and microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) applied to coffee beans and major coffee side streams, including pulp, husk, parchment, silverskin, and spent coffee grounds. The physicochemical principles of each technology, the main operating parameters, and their influence on extraction yield, phenolic composition, antioxidant capacity, and heat-sensitive compound preservation are discussed. Furthermore, potential synergies between combined techniques (UAE-MAE or HPE-UAE) and trends toward industrial scaling and integral valorization within a circular economy framework are highlighted. Overall, the evidence indicates that emerging technologies can intensify coffee extraction processes, increase phenolic recovery (often achieving up to two-fold improvements in total phenolic content compared to conventional techniques), and significantly reduce processing times (commonly reaching 2.5–15 min), supporting more sustainable and industrially relevant value chains.

Instituciones: Universidad Tecnológica del Perú; Universidad Nacional Toribio Rodríguez de Mendoza de Amazonas; Universidad Nacional de Cajamarca; Universidad Nacional del Centro del Perú; Universidad Nacional de Frontera; Universidad Nacional Autónoma Altoandina de Tarma