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Highlights • This paper gives an analysis of carnauba wax in foods and extending to the different extraction processes. • Chemical and physical characteristics, as well as safety aspects of wax are reviewed. • Utilization of waxes as microcapsulating and food processing agents are investigated. • The main component, 4-hydroxycinnamic acid, that has various pharmacological activities, are overviewed. Abstract Carnauba wax is widely used in food, due to its physico-chemical characteristics with a predominance of esters and inert and stable components. Even with so many possibilities for the use of carnauba wax in food, there are still a large number of researchers around the world searching for new applications and a demand for new products with new technologies to improve existing ones. Recently, many parts of research which focus on the use of this wax in conservation and food processing have been carried out, some of which highlight the role of this wax in the microencapsulation of flavours, in preparing edible films and super hydrophobic and biodegradable packaging. This paper discusses the use of carnauba wax in food, including the extraction process of the wax, its chemical and physical characteristics, safety aspects, national and international law and permitted uses, along with the presentation of the main scientific research conducted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Highlights • Cnidoscolus spp. is a novel plant source of medicinal purposes. • The main content of bioactive compounds were observed in the extracts from the whole plant. • Cnidoscolus spp. as pivotal sources of separation and identification of bioactive molecules with biotechnological applications Abstract The application of medicinal plants are the most important biotechnological alternative in the treatment of numerous diseases, especially in developing countries, such as Brazil. Among them, we specified some specimens of the genus Cnidoscolus used as phytotherapies, with healing properties, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antibiotic and diuretic, anticancer, among others. Such effects are possibly associated with the presence of terpenoids, alkaloids, coumarins, flavonoids phenolic compounds, among others. Thus, the objective of this work was to evaluate in the literature the studies on the phytochemical, ethnopharmacological and biotechnological applications of this genus, from 1998 to 2017. Among the sixty-one studies reported in this review, ten species are popularly utilized to pharmacological and/or biotechnological applications. Cnidoscolus aconitifolius and Cnidoscolus chayamansa are the most cited species, which were also supported by either animal or cellular investigations indicating some beneficial pharmacological actions like antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and potential cytotoxic activity. The plant parts of this genus under study are important as sources for the isolation and identification of bioactive molecules with biotechnological applications, among the many diseases treated with this phytotherapy. Given these verdicts, ethnopharmacological approaches are significant systematic tools in the determination of plant species that exhibit medicinal and nutritional purposes. The results presented here should further stimulate the development of validation studies to ensure the safe and effective use of these plant species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]