Response surface methodology applied to Supercritical Fluid Extraction (SFE) of carotenoids from Persimmon (Diospyros kaki L.).

Supercritical carbon dioxide with ethanol as co-solvent was used to extract carotenoids from persimmon fruits (Diospyros kaki L.). Based on a response surface methodology (RSM), a predicting model describing the effects of CO2 temperature, pressure, flow rate, ethanol percentage and extraction time was set up for each of the four carotenoids of interest. The best extraction yields in our experimental domain were found at 300 bars, 60°C, 25% (w/w) ethanol, 3mL/min flow rate and 30min for xanthophylls (all-trans-lutein, all-trans-zeaxanthin and all-trans-ß-cryptoxanthin). The yields were 15.46±0.56, 16.81±1.74 and 33.23±2.91µg/g of persimmon powder for all-trans-lutein, all-trans-zeaxanthin and all-trans-ß-cryptoxanthin, respectively. As a non-oxygenated carotenoid, all-trans-ß-carotene was better extracted using 100 bars, 40°C, 25% (w/w) ethanol, 1mL/min flow rate and 30min extraction time, with an extraction yield of 11.19±0.47µg/g of persimmon powder.

Accelerated solvent extraction of carotenoids from: Tunisian Kaki (Diospyros kaki L.), peach (Prunus persica L.) and apricot (Prunus armeniaca L.).

Extraction of carotenoids from biological matrices and quantifications remains a difficult task. Accelerated solvent extraction was used as an efficient extraction process for carotenoids extraction from three fruits cultivated in Tunisia: kaki (Diospyros kaki L.), peach (Prunus persica L.) and apricot (Prunus armeniaca L.). Based on a design of experiment (DoE) approach, and using a binary solvent consisting of methanol and tetrahydrofuran, we could identify the best extraction conditions as being 40°C, 20:80 (v:v) methanol/tetrahydrofuran and 5 min of extraction time. Surprisingly and likely due to the high extraction pressure used (103 bars), these conditions appeared to be the best ones both for extracting xanthophylls such as lutein, zeaxanthin or ß-cryptoxanthin and carotenes such as ß-carotene, which present quite different polarities. Twelve surface responses were generated for lutein, zeaxanthin, ß-cryptoxanthin and ß-carotene in kaki, peach and apricot. Further LC-MS analysis allowed comparisons in carotenoids profiles between the fruits.

Tissue and cellular localization of tannins in Tunisian dates (Phoenix dactylifera L.) by light and transmission electron microscopy.

A histological approach including light microscopy and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) was used to provide accurate information on the localization of condensed tannins in the edible tissues and in the stone of date fruits (Phoenix dactylifera L.). Light microscopy was carried out on fresh tissues after staining by 4-dimethylaminocinnamaldehyde (DMACA) for a specific detection of condensed tannins. Thus, whether under light microscopy or transmission electron microscopy (TEM), results showed that tannins are not located in the epidermis but more deeply in the mesocarp in the vacuole of very large cells. Regarding the stones, tannins are found in a specific cell layer located at 50 µm from the sclereid cells of the testa.