High Hydrostatic Pressure-Assisted Extraction of Carotenoids from Papaya (Carica papaya L. cv. Maradol) Tissues Using Soybean and Sunflower Oil as Potential Green Solvents

Carotenoids are health promoting compounds which bioavailability depends on their release from the intracellular compartments. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of the application of different levels of pressure, time and temperature in High Hydrostatic Pressure-Assisted Extraction (HHPAE) processes, and the use of soybean and sunflower oils on the extraction yield of carotenoids present in papaya pulp and peel. . Papaya (pulp and peel) as source of carotenoids and soybean and sunflower oils as eco-friendly solvents were used. The effects of temperature, pressure and time (20–40 °C, 300–500 MPa and 2–8 min) on the carotenoid extraction yield were studied applying a central composite experimental design. Carotenoids and esters in papaya were analysed by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC-DAD-MS/MS) and by spectrophotometric methods. The main carotenoids found in carotenoid-rich oils were (all-E)-lycopene, (13Z)-lycopene isomer, β-carotene, (all-E)-β-cryptoxanthin and xanthophyll esters as (all-E)-β-cryptoxanthin caprate, (all-E)-β-cryptoxanthin laurate and (all-E)-β-cryptoxanthin myristate. The optimal extraction condition was obtained at 400 MPa, 40.5 °C for 5 min, with the highest (all-E)-lycopene extraction yield (99.1%) from papaya pulp using soybean oil. The highest (all-E)-β-carotene (14.0%) and (all-E)-β-cryptoxanthin (19.3%) extraction yields were obtained from peel extracts at 500 MPa, 35 °C for 2 min using soybean oil and 400 MPa, 27.5 °C for 5 min using sunflower oil, respectively. The results showed that carotenoid extraction yields in papaya pulp and peel extracts were higher applying mild pressures (300–400 MPa). Low xanthophyll and xanthophyll esters extraction efficiency (0.8–3.1%) was observed due to the low polarity of the vegetable oils.