Optimisation of biological and physical parameters for lycopene supercritical CO2 extraction from ordinary and high-pigment tomato cultivars.
BACKGROUND
Lycopene is used for several industrial applications. Supercritical CO(2) (SC-CO(2)) extraction from red-ripe tomato fruits is an excellent technique to replace the use of harmful solvents. In this study, starting from red-ripe tomatoes of ordinary and high-lycopene cultivars, the effect of different agronomical and technical aspects on lycopene content, stability and yield was evaluated throughout the production process from fresh tomatoes to the final SC-CO(2)-extracted oleoresin containing lycopene.


RESULTS
Red-ripe tomato cultivars differed in their lycopene content. Irrigation excess or deficit caused an increase in the amount of lycopene in the fruits. Fresh tomatoes were processed into a lyophilised matrix suitable for SC-CO(2) extraction, which could be stored for more than 6 months at -20 degrees C without lycopene loss. Under the optimal extraction conditions, efficiencies of up to 80% were achieved, but the recovery of lycopene in the extracted oleoresin was very low (approximately 24%). Co-extraction of the tomato matrix mixed with a lipid co-matrix allowed the recovery of approximately 90% of lycopene in the oleoresin. Using the high-lycopene cultivars, the yield of total extracted lycopene increased by approximately 60% with respect to the ordinary cultivars. Lipids and other biologically active molecules were present in the oleoresin.


CONCLUSIONS
A method for extracting, from a tomato matrix, a natural and solvent-free oleoresin containing lycopene dissolved in a highly unsaturated vegetable oil has been described. The oleoresin represents an excellent product for testing on cancer and cardiovascular disease prevention.
Lenucci
Marcello S
MS
Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Biologiche ed Ambientali, Università del Salento, Via Prov. le Lecce-Monteroni, Lecce, Italy. marcello.lenucci@unisalento.it
Caccioppola
Alessandro
A
Durante
Miriana
M
Serrone
Lucia
L
Leonardo
Rescio
R
Piro
Gabriella
G
Dalessandro
Giuseppe
G
D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D002338:Carotenoids / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D002626:Chemistry, Pharmaceutical / Q000379:methods; D055864:Droughts; D005612:Freeze Drying; D005638:Fruit / Q000737:chemistry*; D000077276:Lycopene; D018551:Solanum lycopersicum / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000145:classification; D010860:Pigments, Biological; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry*; D010938:Plant Oils; D014867:Water
D010860:Pigments, Biological; D010936:Plant Extracts; D010938:Plant Oils; D014867:Water; D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D002338:Carotenoids; D000077276:Lycopene