Abstract
Carotenoid pigments were extracted and purified from persimmon fruits using accelerated solvent extraction (ASE). Eleven pigments were isolated and five of them were clearly identified as all-trans-violaxanthine, all-trans-lutein, all-trans-zeaxanthin all-trans-cryptoxanthin and all-trans-β-carotene. Absorption and fluorescence spectra were recorded. To evaluate the potential of 1O2 quenching of the purified carotenoids, we used a monocarboxylic porphyrin (P1COOH) as the photosensitizer to produce 1O2. The rate constants of singlet oxygen quenching (Kq) were determined by monitoring the near-infrared (1270 nm) luminescence of 1O2 produced by photosensitizer excitation. The lifetime of singlet oxygen was measured in the presence of increasing concentrations of carotenoids in hexane. Recorded Kq values show that all-trans-β-cryptoxanthin, all-trans-β-carotene, all-trans-lycopene and all-trans-zeaxanthin quench singlet oxygen in hexane efficiently (associated Kq values of 1.6 × 109, 1.3 × 109, 1.1 × 109 and 1.1 × 109 M−1·s−1, respectively). The efficiency of singlet oxygen quenching of β-cryptoxanthin can thus change the consideration that β-carotene and lycopene are the most efficient singlet oxygen quenchers acting as catalysts for deactivation of the harmful 1O2.
Highlights
Carotenoids are some of the most widespread lipidic soluble pigments in nature; more than 750 naturally occurring carotenoids have been identified to date, but only a few are commercially available in a pure form and are expensive
Persimmon fruit cultivated in Tunisia is known for its richness in carotenoid pigments
It was possible to show that at least 11 carotenoids are present in the fruit, suggesting that persimmon fruit can be considered as a potential source of carotenoids
Summary
Carotenoids are some of the most widespread lipidic soluble pigments in nature; more than 750 naturally occurring carotenoids have been identified to date, but only a few are commercially available in a pure form and are expensive They are produced as secondary metabolites by all photosynthetic organisms (plants, fungi, yeasts and non-photosynthetic bacteria) and are accumulated from human and animal diets [1,2]. Carotenoids contribute to both organoleptic and nutritional properties of food and food by-products providing red, yellow or orange colors for fruits and vegetables. Most carotenoids can be derived from C40 tetraterpenoids polyene backbone
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