Development of efficient supercritical carbon dioxide extraction methodology for zeaxanthin from dried biomass of Paracoccus zeaxanthinifaciens

Zeaxanthin was extracted from dried biomass of Paracoccus zeaxanthinifaciens using supercritical carbon dioxide (SC-CO2) with methanol as an entrainer. Solubility parameter of zeaxanthin, CO2, and CO2 with entrainer was calculated to correlate with experimental data. A maximum recovery of 65% was obtained using 3 ml methanol as entrainer per gram of lyophilized biomass at 300 bar and 40 °C. Higher and lower temperature and pressure conditions did not affect the yield appreciably. Other entrainers such as ethanol, acetone, isopropyl alcohol, and water were relatively ineffective in extraction of zeaxanthin from the bacterial biomass.