Extraction of natural antioxidants (carotenoids and tocopherols) from by-products of the tomato processing industry

The supercritical fluid extraction of natural antioxidants present in by-products of the tomato industry was studied. The recovery of carotenoids (licopene and beta-carotene) and tocopherols (alfa- and gamma-tocopherol) was investigated as a function of the drying process of the raw material, of the extraction parameters, temperature (60 and 80°C) and pressure (30 and 50 MPa), and of the use of sunflower oil as a non conventional cosolvent