Obtaining carotenoid encapsulates with polysaccharides carriers after pilot scale accelerated solvent extraction and ultrasound-assisted extraction from industrial tomato by-product

What if the tomato peels you throw away could become a treasure trove of health-boosting carotenoids? New research turns industrial tomato waste into functional food powders using green extraction and spray drying.

Tomato pomace—the peels and seeds left after processing—is often discarded, yet it's packed with nutritionally valuable carotenoids. Scientists are now rescuing this by-product to create functional ingredients for the food industry. Using two green techniques at pilot scale, ultrasound-assisted extraction (USAE) and accelerated solvent extraction (ASE), they pulled out key bioactive compounds from the waste. Then, they encapsulated these extracts with polysaccharide carriers like maltodextrin, inulin, or a 1:1 mix, via spray drying. The result? Powders rich in carotenoids and antioxidants, ready to enhance foods. The team compared the extracts and encapsulates for nutritional value, carotenoid content, total phenolics, antioxidant capacity, and techno-functional properties. USAE proved superior: encapsulates retained far more carotenoids—mean values of 254 mg of 13-cis-β-carotene, 152 mg of all-trans-β-carotene, and 775 mg of lycopene per kg of fresh weight—compared to ASE's 54, 54, and 218 mg, respectively. The carrier mix of inulin and maltodextrin gave the best yield. Future work aims to boost inulin's prebiotic benefits and cut costs, making this a win-win for sustainability and health.

Key Points

• USAE retained more carotenoids than ASE in encapsulates.
• Inulin-maltodextrin mix gave best yield as carrier.
• Tomato pomace becomes functional food powder via green extraction.