Employing response surface methodology for the optimization of ultrasound assisted extraction of lutein and β-carotene from spinach.

Ammar Altemimi,David Lightfoot,Dennis Watson,Mary Kinsel

doi:10.3390/molecules20046611

Ammar Altemimi, David Lightfoot + Show 2 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules20046611

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Abstract

The extraction of lutein and β-carotene from spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) leaves is important to the dietary supplement industry. A Box-Behnken design and response surface methodology (RSM) were used to investigate the effect of process variables on the ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) of lutein and β-carotene from spinach. Three independent variables, extraction temperature (°C), extraction power (%) and extraction time (min) were studied. Thin-layer chromatography (TLC) followed by UV visualization and densitometry was used as a simple and rapid method for both identification and quantification of lutein and β-carotene during UAE. Methanol extracts of leaves from spinach and authentic standards of lutein and β-carotene were separated by normal-phase TLC with ethyl acetate-acetone (5:4 (v/v)) as the mobile phase. In this study, the combination of TLC, densitometry, and Box–Behnken with RSM methods were effective for the quantitative analysis of lutein and β-carotene from spinach extracts. The resulting quadratic polynomial models for optimizing lutein and β-carotene from spinach had high coefficients of determination of 0.96 and 0.94, respectively. The optimal UAE settings for output of lutein and β-carotene simultaneously from spinach extracts were an extraction temperature of 40 °C, extraction power of 40% (28 W/cm3) and extraction time of 16 min. The identity and purity of each TLC spot was measured using time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Therefore, UAE assisted extraction of carotenes from spinach can provide a source of lutein and β-carotene for the dietary supplement industry.

Highlights

Medicinal plants have been used throughout human history [1]
Thin-layer chromatography (TLC)-densitometry coupled with image analysis detection was evaluated for the quantitative determination of induced carotenoid
The method was suitable for rapid quantification of lutein and β-carotene in spinach extracts

Summary

Introduction

Medicinal plants have been used throughout human history [1]. Modern researchers have sought to isolate and quantify the natural products underlying the medicinal properties of certain plant parts [2,3].In addition, the growing interest in functional foods has increased the demand for new food ingredients extracted from natural products [4,5]. Modern researchers have sought to isolate and quantify the natural products underlying the medicinal properties of certain plant parts [2,3]. Carotenoids are considered one of the most important groups of medicinal natural products. These natural products contribute the yellow to red colors in many flowers, fruits and vegetables. Fruits and vegetables are important sources of two carotenoids important to eye health, lutein and β-carotene. Spinach is very important for human health and is considered a good source of vitamins A, C, and E. It is very rich in bioactive compounds such as phenolics and carotenoids [7]

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