Tailored and synergistic enzyme-assisted extraction of carotenoid-containing chromoplasts from tomatoes

Abstract

© 2020 Institution of Chemical Engineers Despite significant efforts recently made to improve the recovery yield of food pigments from natural sources, the development of green and sustainable biotechnological approaches is currently under investigation. Within the context of circular economy, food wastes represent a cheap source for the recovery of valuable compounds including food ingredients. In this study, a conservative approach consisting in a tailored enzyme-assisted extraction protocol for the recovery of carotenoid-containing chromoplasts from unsold tomatoes in which lycopene is stable and protected against oxidation, has now been developed. A tailored enzymatic mix based on polygalacturonase, pectin lyase, cellulase and xylanase, has been designed taking into account the polysaccharide composition of the tomato cell wall. The optimal process conditions for enhancing the recovery of carotenoids from tomatoes i.e.; temperature, pH, enzymatic mix of total dosage and processing time, have been investigated. The suitable temperature and pH identified by the RSM analysis, were found to be: 45−55 °C at pH 5–5.5. The treatment carried out using the total dosage of 25 U/g for 180 min was the most convenient for maximizing the recovery yield [about 4.30 ± 0.08 (mgLyc/Kgtomato)/U as carotenoid-containing chromoplasts and about 5.43 ± 0.04 (mgLyc/Kgtomato)/U as total carotenoids].