Pietro Rocculi

Shrimp side streams represent an important natural source of astaxanthin. Optimization of the astaxanthin extraction process from shrimp side streams is of great importance for the valorization of crustacean side streams and the development of astaxanthin-related products. The combined and independent effects of two innovative extraction technologies (pulsed electric fields (PEFs) and accelerated solvent extraction (ASE)) alone and/or combined in a sequential step, using two different solvents on astaxanthin extraction from two shrimp species, were evaluated. Astaxanthin content in the extracts of shrimp side streams was determined by both spectrophotometric and HPLC assays, being the determination of the carotenoid profiles performed by HPLC analysis. Compared to a solvent extraction control procedure, the astaxanthin content was increased after ASE and PEF treatments, for both shrimp species, independently of the solvent used. The highest recovery (585.90 µg/g) was obtained for the species A. antennatus, with the solvent DMSO when PEF and ASE were combined, while the increase in antioxidant capacity varied depending on the solvent used. HPLC analysis of the samples revealed the presence of unesterified (all-E) astaxanthin, four unesterified Z isomers of astaxanthin and many unresolved astaxanthin esters. Both technologies are useful tools to recover antioxidant valuable carotenoids such as astaxanthin from shrimp side streams.