Solventless recovery of carotenoid(s) from citrus fruit - by extracting oil mechanically, winterising, removing limonene, then vacuum distilling, useful as food colourants

摘要

Carotenoids (I) are recovered from citrus fruits by first mechanically extracting oil from the flavedo (coloured outer skin) of the fruit, then winterising to remove sterols and other unwanted waxes. The dewaxed oil is then evapd. to remove limonene (II) and the oil then distilling in vacuo to separate (I) from the remaining constituents. Pref. mechanical extraction comprises rupturing the flavedo while simultaneously spraying with water to emulsify the oil. The emulsion is then centrifuged. The dewaxed oil is evapd. until (I) concn. is increased >=15, pref. 20-30 times, esp. at 65-75 degrees C/15-20 mm Hg. (I) are food colourants. No solvent is used so that contamination of the prod. is avoided.