Eco‐Friendly Extraction and Characterization of Terpenoids From Plants as Functional Food Ingredients: A Review

Terpenoids have emerged as essential ingredients in the functional food industry due to their diverse bioactivities and potential health benefits. This review examines recent advances in green extraction techniques and characterization methods for terpenoids from plants, with further focus on their applications as functional food ingredients. The study explores novel extraction methods, including supercritical fluid, ultrasound‐assisted, high‐pressure, and microwave‐assisted extraction, detailing their underlying extraction mechanisms, operating conditions, and compatibility for extracting terpenoids. It also evaluates various qualitative and quantitative characterization techniques, including chromatographic, spectroscopic, and computational methods. Additionally, the review discusses the current and potential applications of terpenoids in functional foods, highlighting their roles in food preservation, flavoring, coloring, packaging, and health promotion. By synthesizing recent research, this work offers insights into the efficient extraction, accurate characterization, and innovative utilization of terpenoids in the functional food sector.