Herbal processing and extraction technologies

Abstract

Herbs are widely utilized in food and health industries. Their beneficial effects to the human body have been attributed to the presence of active phytochemical ingredients with some efficiency for disease treatment as well as for beauty and health enhancement. Public awareness on the adverse effects of synthetic chemical products also increased the demand for herbal products. Highly efficient herbal processing and extraction technologies have been developed to obtain the optimal amounts of active ingredients from herbs and cope with the rising demands for herbal products. This article reviews the state-of-the-art development in herbal processing and extraction methods from the year 1991 until 2015. We start with a brief history of herbal usage, followed by descriptions of 10 types of extraction processes and critical analysis of their relative advantages and disadvantages. Scale-up considerations of the extraction methods are shared, and a highlight of the current and future challenges facing the herbal industry is presented.