Supercritical Carbon Dioxide Extraction Efficiency for Carotenes from Carrots by RSM (original) (raw)

Increasing demand for ␤-carotene has resulted in a growing interest in its extraction from natural sources. Carotenes were extracted from carrot pulp (press cake) using SC-CO 2 . Three levels of pressure (20.7, 27.6, and 34.5 MPa), temperature (40, 55, and 70ЊC), and ethanol co-solvent (0, 5, 10% wt) were studied. Percentages ␣-, ␤and total carotenes extracted were determined by HPLC and spectrophotometric methods. A maximum of 99.5% of ␤-carotene was extracted using 10% ethanol. Concentration of ethanol and temperature were the most important factors in increasing extraction yield. A response surface model was developed from the results: %␤-carotene extraction ϭ 8.4558 ϩ 0.8816 T Ϫ 10.7650 E ϩ 0.1843 T*E ϩ 1.9019 E 2 Ϫ 0.0261 E 2 *T, where T ϭ temperature (ЊC), E ϭ ethanol (%). R 2 ϭ 0.973.