Carotenoid extraction from plant material

摘要

A method of extracting carotenoids from plant material generally includes acquiring plant material including carotenoids, treating the carotenoids with a first enzyme to create a first enzyme treated mixture, wherein the first enzyme includes cellulase, and separating the first enzyme extracted carotenoids from the first enzyme treated mixture. Natural carotenoid concentrate obtained from plant material are also provided.

主权项

1. A method of extracting lycopene from plant material, the method comprising:
(a) acquiring plant material including lycopene and treating the plant material with caustic soda in the range of about 0.5 N to about 2 N to substantially dissolve the lycopene and create a substantially dissolved lycopene mixture, wherein the pH of the substantially dissolved lycopene mixture is in the range of 10 to 14; (b) acidifying the substantially dissolved lycopene mixture to precipitate a solid lycopene fraction; (c) treating the solid lycopene fraction with a first enzyme and pH correction to create a first enzyme treated mixture, wherein the first enzyme includes cellulase; (d) separating the first enzyme extracted lycopene from the first enzyme treated mixture; and (e) treating the first enzyme solid phase treated mixture to substantially dissolve the lycopene and create a substantially dissolved first enzyme lycopene mixture, treating the first enzyme extracted lycopene with a second enzyme to create a second enzyme treated mixture, and separating the second enzyme extracted lycopene from the second enzyme treated mixture.