SUPERCRITICAL-FLUID CARBON-DIOXIDE EXTRACTION OF ANNATTO SEEDS AND QUANTIFICATION OF TRANS-BIXIN BY HIGH-PRESSURE LIQUID-CHROMATOGRAPHY

Bixin, a pigment used for food colouring is known to have a hyperglyce mic effect. It was extracted using supercritical carbon dioxide, from the seeds of annatto (Bixa orellana L.). The major pigment in annotto, trans-bixin, was quantified by high pressure liquid chromatography. A combination of static and dynamic modes of extraction with carbon dio xide containing acetonitrile (0.05% trifluoroacetic acid) as modifier at 60.62 MPa and 40 degrees C was found to the best set of conditions studied and afforded 2.70 mg bixin/g dry weight of the annatto seeds. (C) 1997 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.