Abstract
Carotenoids—natural fat-soluble pigments—have attracted considerable attention because of their potential to prevent of various diseases, such as cancer and arteriosclerosis, and their strong antioxidant capacity. They have many geometric isomers due to the presence of numerous conjugated double bonds in the molecule. However, in plants, most carotenoids are present in the all-E-configuration. (all-E)-Carotenoids are characterized by high crystallinity as well as low solubility in safe and sustainable solvents, such as ethanol and supercritical CO2 (SC-CO2). Thus, these properties result in the decreased efficiency of carotenoid processing, such as extraction and emulsification, using such sustainable solvents. On the other hand, Z-isomerization of carotenoids induces alteration in physicochemical properties, i.e., the solubility of carotenoids dramatically improves and they change from a “crystalline state” to an “oily (amorphous) state”. For example, the solubility in ethanol of lycopene Z-isomers is more than 4000 times higher than the all-E-isomer. Recently, improvement of carotenoid processing efficiency utilizing these changes has attracted attention. Namely, it is possible to markedly improve carotenoid processing using safe and sustainable solvents, which had previously been difficult to put into practical use due to the low efficiency. The objective of this paper is to review the effect of Z-isomerization on the physicochemical properties of carotenoids and its application to carotenoid processing, such as extraction, micronization, and emulsification, using sustainable solvents. Moreover, aspects of Z-isomerization methods for carotenoids and functional difference, such as bioavailability and antioxidant capacity, between isomers are also included in this review.
Highlights
Carotenoids are a class of lipid-soluble pigments responsible responsible for the colors of plants, animals, animals, and microorganisms microorganisms [1,2,3,4]. [1,2,3,4]
After ethanol extraction of lycopene from the Z-isomer-rich tomato pulp, the obtained extract had a very high Z-isomer content (93.5%), while almost all lycopene in the extraction residue was the all-E-isomer. These results strongly indicated that lycopene Z-isomers have higher solubility in solvents than the all-E-isomer; the extraction efficiency was improved
More than 90% of lycopene exists as the all-E-isomer in gac aril, the total Z-isomer content increased by 58.5% with microwave irradiation at 1050 W for 60 s
Summary
Carotenoids are a class of lipid-soluble pigments responsible responsible for the colors of plants, animals, animals, and microorganisms microorganisms [1,2,3,4]. [1,2,3,4]. Carotenoids are a class of lipid-soluble pigments responsible responsible for the colors of plants, animals, animals, and microorganisms microorganisms [1,2,3,4]. Kuhn and Karrer β-carotene byby Karrer in in. 1930s, approximately natural carotenoids reported [5]. Carotenoids thethe natural carotenoids havehave been been reported so farso [5].far. Carotenoids can be can be classified intofollowing the following groups based theirchemical chemicalcomposition: composition: (1). (1) carotenes, carotenes, classified into the two two groups based on on their nonoxygenated as lycopene and β-carotene and (2) xanthophylls, molecules containing nonoxygenated molecules moleculessuch such as lycopene and β-carotene and (2) xanthophylls, molecules oxygen suchoxygen as lutein andasastaxanthin. The daily consumption carotenoid-rich containing such lutein and (1) carotenes, carotenes, classified into the two two groups based on on their nonoxygenated as lycopene and β-carotene and (2) xanthophylls, molecules containing nonoxygenated molecules moleculessuch such as lycopene and β-carotene and (2) xanthophylls, molecules oxygen suchoxygen as lutein andasastaxanthin. 1) [4,6].
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