Speaker
Description
Lycopene, a potent antioxidant associated with remarkable health benefits, found in high concentrations in tomato skins, holds immense importance when extracted from waste materials. Utilizing tomato skins as a source of lycopene offers several benefits. Firstly, it helps reduce food waste and supports sustainable practices by utilizing a byproduct that would otherwise be discarded. Improving the extraction process contributes to minimize environmental impact due to lowering the amount of extraction solvents.
The research aimed to extract lycopene from tomato skins using hexane and compare three different methods: extraction with simple mixing, enzymatic treatment prior to extraction, and extraction with ultrasound. Skins from fresh tomato were piled, dried to constant mass on room temperature in the absence of light, and powdered using a food processor. In all three extraction method, hexane was added in the ratio of 1:50 and the extraction was done at 25oC. For the enzymatic treatment prior to extraction, which lasted for 1 hour, commercial cellulolytic enzymes were used in concentration according to specification. The extracts were obtained in triplicate and the lycopene was measured using UV-VIS spectrophotometer by measuring the absorbance at 502 nm and calculating the concentration using the extinction coefficient.
Enzymatic treatment of tomato skins was found to significantly improve the extraction of lycopene compared to the referent sample with just mixing and to the ultrasound assisted method. This utilization of waste material showcases the potential of innovative approaches in maximizing the value of natural resources while promoting human well-being.
