A novel approach of bioactive lipid extraction by different green solvents was carried out on squid (Doryteuthis gahi) by-products. By-products (viscera, heads, skin, tails, etc.), considered as a single product, were subjected to the following solvent systems: ethanol, acetone, ethyl acetate, 1/1 ethanol/acetone, 1/1 ethanol/ethyl acetate, and 1/1 acetone/ethyl acetate. Analyses carried out included lipid yield, lipid class content, and fatty acid (FA) composition. Results were compared to the lipid extract obtained by the traditional procedure (1/1 chloroform/methanol). Lipid yields obtained by green solvents led to a 33.4−73.2% recovery compared to traditional extraction; the highest values (p < 0.05) were obtained by ethanol-containing systems. Compared to the traditional procedure, ethanol systems showed an 85.8−90.3% recovery of phospholipid compounds and no differences (p > 0.05) in the ω3/ω6 ratio. Green-extracting systems led to higher average values for eicosapentaenoic acid content (15.66−18.56 g·100 g−1 total FAs) and polyene index (1.93−3.29) than chloroform/methanol extraction; differences were significant (p < 0.05) for systems including acetone and ethyl acetate. No differences (p > 0.05) were detected for docosahexaenoic acid content between the traditional procedure and green systems, with all values being included in the 31.12−32.61 g·100 g−1 total FA range. The suitability of EtOH-containing green systems for extraction of bioactive lipid compounds from squid by-products was concluded.
Keywords: PUFA; Patagonian squid; acetone; bioactive lipids; by-products; ethanol; ethyl acetate; green extraction; phospholipids; ω3/ω6 ratio.