Abstract
Microalgae Dunaliella salina contains useful molecules such as β-carotene and fatty acids (FAs), which are considered high value-added compounds. To extract these molecules, supercritical carbon dioxide was used at different operative conditions. The effects of mechanical pre-treatment (grinding speed at 0–600 rpm; pre-treatment time of 2.5–7.5 min) and operating parameters for extraction, such as biomass loading (2.45 and 7.53 g), pressure (100–550 bars), temperature (50–75 °C) and CO2 flow rate (7.24 and 14.48 g/min) by varying the extraction times (30–110 min) were evaluated. Results showed that the maximum cumulative recovery (25.48%) of β-carotene was achieved at 400 bars and 65 °C with a CO2 flow rate of 14.48 g/min, while the highest purity for stage (55.40%) was attained at 550 bars and 65 °C with a CO2 flow rate of 14.48 g/min. The maximum recovery of FAs, equal to 8.47 mg/g, was achieved at 550 bars and 75 °C with a CO2 flow rate of 14.48 g/min. Moreover, the lowest biomass loading (2.45 g) and the first extraction cycle (30 min) allowed the maximum extraction of β-carotene and FAs.
Highlights
In the last decade, the international market of natural products for human health has noticeably increased; the sales volumes are higher than that of similar synthetic products because end users seem to pay more attention to quality than before. β-carotene represents one of the most important players in the market of natural products, with about 350 million euros of revenue as of 2015, and is estimated to increase by 2023 to about 450 million euros [1,2,3]
Molecules 2019, 24, 782 well as Dunaliella salina microalgae, which have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA)
This method could be implemented in critical role of pressure during the extraction food industries for direct supplementation of food product with different concentrations of β-carotene
Summary
The international market of natural products for human health has noticeably increased; the sales volumes are higher than that of similar synthetic products because end users seem to pay more attention to quality than before. β-carotene represents one of the most important players in the market of natural products, with about 350 million euros of revenue as of 2015, and is estimated to increase by 2023 to about 450 million euros [1,2,3]. It is a precursor of vitamin-A that promises several human health benefits for visual embryonic development, epithelial cells and the immune system [12,13] Thanks to these properties, β-carotene is used in several industrial markets including food, cosmetic and nutraceuticals. The FAs offer several major health benefits such as reducing triglycerides in the blood serum, decreasing blood pressure and decreasing the incidence of tumors [16] These molecules can be extracted from D. salina microalgae, which belongs to the class. Recovery and purity of β-carotene for each extraction cycle were analyzed This method could be implemented in food industries for direct supplementation. This method could be implemented in critical role of pressure during the extraction food industries for direct supplementation of food product with different concentrations of β-carotene
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