Sustainable approach for lycopene extraction from tomato processing by-product using hydrophobic eutectic solvents

What if discarded tomato peels held the secret to a cleaner, greener way to harvest powerful antioxidants? Scientists are turning food waste into high-value health compounds using a clever class of liquid mixtures.

Lycopene is a powerhouse antioxidant found in tomatoes, prized for its health benefits and commercial value. Traditionally, extracting this precious non-polar compound required hazardous organic solvents. Enter hydrophobic eutectic mixtures, or HEMs—an innovative, eco-friendly alternative designed to replace those risky chemicals.

Researchers crafted these green solvents by combining DL-menthol and lactic acid. Pairing this mixture with ultrasound-assisted extraction, the team put the process under the microscope using a Box–Behnken design and response surface methodology. They fine-tuned variables like temperature, molar ratios, solvent volume, and time to find the sweet spot for maximum yield.

The magic numbers? A 70 °C temperature, an 8:1 molar ratio, 120 mL/g of solvent to sample, and a remarkably brisk 10-minute extraction time. This optimized process yielded an impressive 1446.6 µg/g of lycopene, matching predictions and proving the model works. By transforming tomato pomace into a valuable resource, this method clears a viable path toward greener, safer industrial chemistry.

Key Points

• Replaced hazardous solvents with hydrophobic eutectic mixtures
• Optimized ultrasound-assisted extraction using response surface methodology
• Achieved an experimental optimal lycopene yield of 1446.6 µg/g