Characterization of high purity lycopene from tomato wastes using a new pressurized extraction approach

J Agric Food Chem. 2008 Aug 13;56(15):6227-31. doi: 10.1021/jf703788c. Epub 2008 Jun 20.

Abstract

In this paper, a method for the extraction of high purity lycopene from tomato wastes is presented. The method is based on a pressurized extraction that uses the Extractor Naviglio, and it is performed in the 0.7-0.9 MPa range. Tomato skin, the byproduct deriving from manufacturing of tomato, in a water dispersion, are used as starting material. Lycopene is transferred, for the effect of the high pressure used, in the form of molecular aggregates into the water as a dispersion, while apolar compounds remain in the matrix. The aggregates are easily purified in a single subsequent step by using methanol, thus, obtaining lycopene at 98% chromatographic purity or higher. A new stationary phase, phenyl-hexyl silicone, and a simple water/acetonitrile gradient were used for HPLC analysis of lycopene. The extract was characterized by UV-Vis spectrophotometry, (1)H NMR, (13)C NMR, and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. An average recovery of 2.8 mg lycopene/kg tomato waste can be obtained after 4 hours of extraction and using tap water as the extracting liquid. The recovery percentage was of about 10%. The exhausted tomato byproduct can be easily dried and used in agriculture or as feeding for animals.

MeSH terms

  • Carotenoids / analysis
  • Carotenoids / isolation & purification*
  • Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid / methods
  • Fruit / chemistry*
  • Industrial Waste / analysis
  • Lycopene
  • Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy
  • Solanum lycopersicum / chemistry*
  • Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization
  • Spectrophotometry

Substances

  • Industrial Waste
  • Carotenoids
  • Lycopene