EXTRACTION OF CAPSAICINOIDS FROM CHILIES (CAPSICUM-FRUTESCENS L) AND PAPRIKA (CAPSICUM-ANNUUM-L) USING SUPERCRITICAL FLUIDS AND ORGANIC-SOLVENTS

Supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) with subsequent HPLC analysis was performed in order to determine the amount of capsaicinoids in paprik a and chillie powder samples. The extraction yields obtained by SFE we re compared to those obtained by organic solvent extraction and were f ound to be comparable or slightly lower. The advantages of SFE are sho rter extraction times, less sample preparation needed prior to HPLC an alysis and fewer interfering peaks in the chromatograms. In addition, the SFE method developed (extraction temperature = 80 degrees C, densi ty = 0.75 g/ml, modifier = 20 mu l water) was shown to be suitable for analysis of capsaicinoids (capsaicin, dihydrocapsaicin, nordihydrocap saicin) that are present over a wide range of concentrations (10-1400 mu g/g) in the samples.