Dados do Trabalho

Título

SCREENING OF HYDROPHOBIC EUTECTIC SOLVENTS FOR LYCOPENE EXTRACTION FROM TOMATO WASTE

Introdução

Lycopene is a highly prized antioxidant with associated health benefits and is abundant in natural sources. To extract the bioactive compounds, present in the food, many techniques have been used being, the most widespread, by solvents. However, there is growing interest in obtaining safer, less toxic, and more environmentally friendly extracts. The present study proposes a screening of green solvents for extracting lycopene from tomato processing waste.

Material e Métodos

Different hydrophobic deep eutectic solvents (DESs) based on fatty acids and alcohols were prepared in various molar ratios (49 DESs) as hydrogen-bond acceptor (HBA) and as hydrogen-bond donor (HBD) and examined for their effectiveness in extracting lycopene from tomato waste. The DES was prepared using the following parameters: molar ratio of the eutectic mixture (moles HBA: mol HBD), temperature of 80 C°, time of 30 min, and homogenization at 1000 rpm. Then the extraction was carried out in the following conditions: solvent to sample ratio of 1000μl/100mg; extraction temperature of 40 C°, and extraction time 120 min. Lycopene extraction yield (μg/g) was the evaluated response. Spectrophotometric measurements and HPLC were used to identify and quantify total and individual carotenoids from the extracts.

Resultados e Discussão

The highest carotenoids total values (1780.45 μg/g, 1753.25 μg/g and 1719.90 μg/g) were obtained when oleyl alcohol:dodecanoic acid, octanoic acid:myristic acid and octanoic acid:decanoic acid (DESs) were applied as solvent, yielding similar values to the conventional solvent ethyl acetate (1777.25 μg/g).

Conclusão

Considering the results and economic perspective of carotenoids total recovery from tomato processing by-products, the results presented in this study demonstrated the capacity of novel hydrophobic deep eutectic solvents to extract carotenoids, as a sustainable alternative to organic solvents.