Advances in Food Science and Technology

Advances in Food Science and Technology | Vol. 14, No. 8, August 2026 | pp. 019–024

DOI: 10.46882/2026/AFST/000243

Article Type: Original Research Paper

Title: Supercritical Fluid Extraction of Carotenoids from Tomato Processing By-Products: Kinetic Modeling and Optimization

Names of Authors: Lucia Rossi¹, Carlos Silva²

Authors’ Affiliations: ¹Food Safety Infrastructure Lab, University of Rome, Rome, Italy; ²Department of Food Engineering, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil

Abstract: Abstract: Tomato manufacturing industries generate massive quantities of pomace by-products containing high levels of hydrophobic lycopene and beta-carotene pigments. This study optimized the recovery of these functional carotenoids using green Supercritical Fluid Extraction (SFE) with carbon dioxide (CO²) combined with an ethanol co-solvent. Extraction runs were systematically performed under varying system pressures (20 to 40 MPa), temperatures (40 °C to 80 °C), and co-solvent fractions (5% to 15% molar ratio). The experimental mass transfer kinetics were mathematically simulated using the Sovová broken-and-intact cell model (R² = 0.99). The optimized SFE parameters were established at a pressure of 35 MPa, a process temperature of 65 °C, and a 10% ethanol addition level. Under these conditions, the total lycopene yield reached 384.6 ± 5.2 μg/g of dry pomace weight. High-performance liquid chromatography confirmed the extraction of non-degraded all-trans lycopene isomers. This validated extraction framework offers a sustainable, solvent-free approach to upcycling industrial agricultural wastes into premium clean-label food colorants.

Keywords: Tomato Pomace, Supercritical Fluid Extraction, Lycopene Recovery, Sovová Kinetic Model, Green Solvents, Bio-Waste Upcycling

Manuscript Timeline: Received: March 02, 2026; Revised: May 05, 2026; Accepted: June 15, 2026; Published: August 24, 2026

Citation: Rossi, L., & Silva, C. (2026). Supercritical Fluid Extraction of Carotenoids from Tomato Processing By-Products: Kinetic Modeling and Optimization. Advances in Food Science and Technology, 14(8), 019–024. DOI: 10.46882/2026/AFST/000243

Subscribe to read the full article: https://mail.internationalscholarsjournals.org/subscribe-to-read