The cardoon (Cynara cardunculus L.), is a perennial plant belonging to the Asteraceae family, and its cultivated species are widely used in the Mediterranean diet. This review provides an overview of cardoons' chemical composition, bioactive properties and multiple industrial and food applications. Thanks to its nutritional composition, the use of cardoon has increased in food, cosmetic and industrial sectors, such as the energy industry or in the production of paper pulp or bio-packaging. An application in the food industry has involved using of cardoon as a vegetable coagulant for gourmet cheeses-making, as the flowers are rich in aspartic proteases. Cardoon by-products are also rich in bioactive compounds with important health benefits. Most of these nutritional activities are due to the presence of phenolic compounds, minerals, inulin, fibre and sesquiterpene lactones with interesting antioxidant and antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, anti-tumour, lipid-lowering, cytotoxic and anti-diabetic activities.
Keywords: Cardoon cultivars; bio-refinery; biological activity; biomass; biowaste reduction; by-products; plant-based food; sustainable crops.