Obtaining anthocyanins, carotenoids, flavonoids, volatile oils, and tocotrienols by supercritical technology: process parameters and chemical characterization of extracts

Abstract

Obtaining bioactive compounds from biological matrices by supercritical extraction, a green technology with many advantages is technically feasible for several biological matrices. Supercritical technology is viable for the production of ingredients for the food, cosmeceuticals and pharmaceuticals industries. In Brazil, the quantity and quality of research in this area are significant. But in our country there are no industries employing this technology for the production of extracts. One reason is association of this technology with higher investments. Studies done at LASEFI/DEA/FEA/UNICAMP have shown that this technology is economically feasible in our country for the production of bioactive extracts. Aiming to spread to the Productive Sector the advantages of supercritical technology we intend to develop a systematic study on the scaling-up to obtain plant extracts with antioxidant activity and to characterize these extracts. The studies of scale-up will be conducted using two extraction units: (1) Unit SFE 2×1L assembled in LASEFI with support from CNPq (Call MCT/CNPq 02/2006 - Universal; registration 472023/2006-3) and (2) unit SFE 2×5L obtained with support from the project PITE - FAPESP 05/60485-1/. The use of two extraction units will allow the transposition of data from laboratory scale (extracting maximum volume equal to 300 mL) for a semi-pilot and later to a pilot scale. The extracts will be characterized with respect to their chemical composition and antioxidant activity; thus, these parameters will be used for the quality control of the process. (AU)