title: A rapid and effective approach for on-site assessment of total carotenoid content in wolfberry juice during processing.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Carotenoid content analysis in wolfberry processed products has mainly focused on the determination of zeaxanthin or zeaxanthin dipalmitate, which cannot indicate the total carotenoid content (TCC) in wolfberries.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We have exploited an effective approach for rapid extraction of carotenoid from wolfberry juice and determined TCC using UV-visible spectrophotometry. Several solvent mixtures, adsorption wavelengths of carotenoid extracts and extraction procedures were investigated. The optimal solvent mixture with broad spectrum polarity was hexane-ethanol-acetone (2:1:1) and optimal wavelength was 456 nm. There was no significant difference of TCC in wolfberry juice between direct extraction and saponification extraction.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The developed method for assessment of TCC has been successfully employed in quality evaluation of wolfberry juice under different processing conditions. This measurement approach has inherent advantages (simplicity, rapidity, effectiveness) that make it appropriate for obtaining on-site information of TCC in wolfberry juice during processing.
authors.affiliation: Jinan Fruit Research Institute, All China Federation of Supply and Marketing Co-operatives, Ji'nan 250014, China.
authors.forename: Xiaodong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.affiliation: Jinan Fruit Research Institute, All China Federation of Supply and Marketing Co-operatives, Ji'nan 250014, China.
authors.forename: Fengtao
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Jinan Fruit Research Institute, All China Federation of Supply and Marketing Co-operatives, Ji'nan 250014, China.
authors.forename: Maoyu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Jinan Fruit Research Institute, All China Federation of Supply and Marketing Co-operatives, Ji'nan 250014, China.
authors.forename: Xinhuan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.affiliation: Jinan Fruit Research Institute, All China Federation of Supply and Marketing Co-operatives, Ji'nan 250014, China.
authors.forename: Xiaomeng
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Meng
authors.affiliation: Jinan Fruit Research Institute, All China Federation of Supply and Marketing Co-operatives, Ji'nan 250014, China.
authors.forename: Ye
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Song
mesh_terms: D002338:Carotenoids / Q000032:analysis*; D005638:Fruit / Q000737:chemistry*; D000067030:Fruit and Vegetable Juices / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D032305:Lycium / Q000737:chemistry*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry*; D012997:Solvents; D013053:Spectrophotometry / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D010936:Plant Extracts; D012997:Solvents; D002338:Carotenoids
keywords: assessment; carotenoid; extraction; processing; wolfberry juice