Supercritical fluid extraction of carotenoids and chlorophylls a, b and c, from a wild strain of Scenedesmus obliquus for use in food processing

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2013

Authors

A. Catarina Guedes (Author) Other; Maria S. Gião (Author) Other; Ana A. Matias (Author) Other; Ana V. M. Nunes (Author) Other; Manuela E. Pintado (Author) Other; Catarina M. M. Duarte (Author) Other; F. Xavier Malcata (Author) FEUP

Journal

Title: Journal of Food Engineering

Vol. 116 No. 2

Pages: 478-482

ISSN: 0260-8774

Publisher: Elsevier

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 27 Citations

ISI Web of Science

Scopus - 49 Citations

INSPEC

Scientific classification

FOS: Engineering and technology

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-005-1CM

DOI: 10.1016/j.jfoodeng.2012.12.015

Abstract (EN): Faster and more selective extraction methods are urger to recover food-grade pigments and antioxidants from microalgae-which do not resort to food-incompatible and environment-unfriendly solvents. Hence, this study ascertained the influence of pressure, temperature, CO2 flow rate and a polar co-solvent upon the yields of carotenoids and chlorophylls in supercritical fluid extraction of Scenedesmus obliquus biomass. The highest carotenoid yield was attained at 250 bar and 60°C. The yields of chlorophylls, when using plain CO2, increased slightly with pressure, but decreased with temperature and CO2 flow rate; the highest yield of chlorophyll a was at 4.3gCO2min-1, whereas ethanol as co-solvent increased all yields except that of chlorophyll c. The highest ratio of total carotenoids to chlorophyll a was reached at 250 bar and 60°C. A remarkable selectivity was observed under these operating conditions, which may enable easy separation and purification of the aforementioned pigments.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 5