Optimization of total carotenoids extraction from pequi pulp (Caryocar brasiliense Camb.) using a mixture planning method/ Otimização da extração de carotenoides totais da polpa de pequi (Caryocar brasiliense Camb.) usando método de planejamento de misturas

The pequi is a native fruit of the Brazilian Savanna and the consumption of its carotenoid-rich pulp has been associated with several health benefits. However, there are considerable differences in carotenoid content reported for this fruit, mainly due to the diversity of extraction methods used in the recovery of these compounds from pequi pulp. The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficiency of different organic solvents and mixtures in the extraction of total carotenoids from pequi pulp. For the carotenoids extraction, pure solvents and the mixtures of acetone, ethyl alcohol and petroleum ether were used. The mixture planning was used to determine the proportions of the solvents in each treatment. To our knowledge, this is the first study to identify that the most efficient treatment for total carotenoid extraction from pequi pulp is pure petroleum ether solvent (234.40 μg/g). In contrast, ethyl alcohol was the solvent that extracted the lowest concentration of total carotenoids (124.03 μg/g). Pure acetone, one of the most used solvents in the extraction of carotenoids from pequi, showed intermediate efficiency (166.07 μg/g). Thus, pure petroleum ether is the solvent recommended for total carotenoid extraction, mainly in the samples rich in carotenoid and lipids, such as pequi pulp.