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The study of CO 2-expanded liquids using a green component such as a biobased solvent has been recently raised as a new concept for an alternative solvent and yet been largely unexplored in the literature for neither fundamental nor application studies. On the other hand, structural bulkiness of substrates remains one of the main limitations to promote enzymes as an efficient versatile catalytic tool for organic synthesis, especially biocatalysis in nonconventional solvents. Herein, we report a detailed investigation of CO 2-expanded biobased liquids as reaction media for improved biocatalysis of sterically hindered compounds. We found that CO 2 acts as a crucial trigger for various lipases to catalyze transesterification of challenging bulky alcohols in CO 2-expanded 2-methyltetrahydrofuran (MeTHF). Furthermore, this study determines the physicochemical and transport properties of CO 2-expanded MeTHF for the first time, which were then utilized for modulating biocatalytic activity. It was found that lipase activity increased with the accordingly decrease of the dipolarity of CO 2-expanded MeTHF, which is tunable by altering the concentration of CO 2 in the solvent system.

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Biscuits are staple bakery foods that are popular worldwide due to their ready-to-eat nature, affordable cost, and prolonged shelflife (Arepally et al., 2020). However, they typically contain a high amount of sugar and fat and produce high calorie but low fiber content. Dietary fiber has received great public attention as it brings numerous health benefits associated with an increased intake of dietary fiber, including the potential to reduce the risk of diabetes, obesity, intestinal diseases, and some types of cancer (He et al., 2022). The use of fiber-rich ingredients in the formulation of food products has been an actual trend in marketing strategy to attract consumers (Soleimanian et al., 2021). Indeed, dietary fiber has been regulated for health and nutrient-related claims in food products labeling by many international markets (Domínguez Díaz et al., 2020). A ratio of approximately 3:1 of IDF:SDF is recommended for a well-balanced proportion to enhance the benefit of physiological effects of both the fiber fractions (Jha et al., 2017). In this context, biscuits and other food products have been fortified with different materials to improve their dietary fiber and nutrient