Valorization of Tomato Residues by Supercritical Fluid Extraction

Tomato processing leads to the production of considerable amounts of residues, mainly in the form of tomato skins, seeds and vascular tissues, which still contain bioactive molecules of interest for food, pharmaceutical and nutraceutical industries. These include carotenoids, such as lycopene and β-carotene, tocopherols and sitosterols, among others. Supercritical fluid extraction is well positioned for the valorization of tomato residues prior to disposal, because it remains an environmentally safe extraction process, especially when using carbon dioxide as the solvent. In this article, we provide an extensive literature overview of the research on the supercritical fluid extraction of tomato residues. We start by identifying the most relevant extractables present in tomatoes (e.g., lycopene) and their main bioactivities. Then, the main aspects affecting the extraction performance are covered, starting with the differences between tomato matrixes (e.g., seeds, skins and pulp) and possible pretreatments to enhance extraction (e.g., milling, drying and enzymatic digestion). Finally, the effects of extraction conditions, such as pressure, temperature, cosolvent, flow rate and time, are discussed.

Procyanidins: From Agro-industrial Waste to Food as Bioactive Molecules

Procyanidins are an important group of bioactive molecules known for their benefits to human health. These compounds are promising in the treatment of chronic metabolic diseases such as cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease, as they prevent cell damage related to oxidative stress. It is necessary to study effective extraction methods for the recovery of these components. In this review, advances in the recovery of procyanidins from agro-industrial wastes are presented, which are obtained through ultrasound-assisted extraction, microwave-assisted extraction, supercritical fluid extraction, pressurized fluid extraction and subcritical water extraction. Current trends focus on the extraction of procyanidins from seeds, peels, pomaces, leaves and bark in agro-industrial wastes, which are extracted by ultrasound. Some techniques have been coupled with environmentally friendly techniques. There are few studies focused on the extraction and evaluation of biological activities of procyanidins. The identification and quantification of these compounds are the result of the study of the polyphenolic profile of plant sources. Antioxidant, antibiotic, and anti-inflammatory activity are presented as the biological properties of greatest interest. Agro-industrial wastes can be an economical and easily accessible source for the extraction of procyanidins.

Extraction of Kaempferitrin and Astragalin from Justicia Spicigera by Supercritical Fluid Extraction and Its Comparison with Conventional Extraction

A study of supercritical fluid CO2 extraction of kaempferitrin (KM) and astragalin (KG) from Justicia spicigera (muicle) was conducted. A 33 Box-Behnken design was used to analyze the effects of pressure (200-300 bar), temperature (40-60° C), and co-solvent flow rate (0.5-1.0 mL/min). The highest KM and KG concentration were achieved at a pressure of 300 bar, a temperature of 60° C, and co-solvent flow rate of 1.0 mL/min (ethanol 99.5 %), with a constant CO2 flow rate of 5 mL/min and extraction time of 180 min. Under these conditions, the experimental values for KM and KG (115.08±2.81 and 56.63±9.02 mg/100 g of dry powder, respectively) were similar to those calculated by the models (109.0 and 44.07 mg/100 g of dry powder, respectively). The use of 70 % ethanol as co-solvent in the supercritical extraction process considerably improved the yields of KM and KG (562.71±156.85 and 79.90±18.03 mg/100 g of dry powder, respectively) compared to the 99.5 % ethanol extractions. The conventional extraction showed the highest yields of KM and KG (574.20±65.10 and 113.10±15.06 mg/100 g of dry powder, respectively) at 70° C and extraction time of 120 min. Adequate yields were achieved of KM and KG by supercritical fluid extraction compared with conventional extraction (98 and 70 %, respectively); therefore supercritical fluid extract of J. spicigera could be used in the development of functional foods, as well as its possible use in traditional medicine by the health professionals.