Enzyme and high pressure assisted extraction of carotenoids from tomato waste

• Total carotenoid yields were increased by enzymes compared to non enzyme extraction.
• Max lycopene yield (89.4 mg/kg) obtained in pectinase treated tomato waste with ethyl lactate.
• HP assisted extraction led to higher yields compared to ambient pressure extraction.
• HP extraction at 700 MPa/10 min enabled lower solvent volumes compared to 0.1 MPa/30 min extraction.

Enzyme (EA) and high pressure (HP) assisted extraction of carotenoids, especially lycopene, from tomato waste using various organic solvents was examined. Total carotenoid and lycopene extraction yields were increased by the use of pectinase and cellulase enzymes, when compared to the non enzyme treated solvent extraction process. The increase of extraction yield depended on the solvent. Maximum total carotenoid (127 mg/kg d.w.) and lycopene (89.4 mg/kg d.w.) extraction yields were obtained in enzyme treated samples extracted with ethyl lactate (solvent:solid = 10:1 mL:g), corresponding to almost 6-fold and 10-fold increase, respectively, with respect to non enzyme treated samples. HP assisted extraction led to higher extraction yields (from 2 to 64% increase depending on the solvent used) compared to conventional solvent extraction process performed at ambient pressure for 30 min. HP assisted solvent extraction was successfully performed at 700 MPa by using significantly (P < 0.05) lower ratios of solvent:solid (6:1 and 4:1 mL:g) and reduced processing time (10 min), compared to solvent extraction performed at ambient pressure, solvent:solid ratio 10:1 mL:g and 30 min extraction time.