Recent trends in extraction, purification, and antioxidant activity evaluation of plant leaf‐extract polysaccharides

This review elaborates on current advances in the extraction, purification, and antioxidant activity of plant leaf‐extract polysaccharides. Polysaccharides are widely used as important ingredients in the food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries. Researchers have been investigating useful sources of natural polysaccharides and developing green and feasible extraction procedures for polysaccharides. This review examines different methods for extracting polysaccharides from leaves, and discusses their advantages and limitations. Purification techniques for plant leaf‐based polysaccharides were also highlighted, together with their antioxidant effects. Among different extraction methods, pressurized‐liquid extraction and enzyme‐assisted extraction are considered to be better for large‐scale extraction of polysaccharides from plant leaves. This review could contribute to the design of leaf waste processes at a commercial level for the sustainable recovery of polysaccharides. © 2022 The Authors. Biofuels, Bioproducts and Biorefining published by Society of Industrial Chemistry and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.