Paprika (Capsicum annuum) oleoresin extraction with supercritical carbon dioxide

Paprika oleoresin was fractionated by extraction with supercritical carbon dioxide (SCF-CO2). Higher extraction volumes, increasing extraction pressur es, and similarly, the use of cosolvents such as 1% ethanol or acetone resu lted in higher pigment yields. Within the 2000-7000 psi range, total oleore sin yield always approached 100%. Pigments isolated at lower pressures cons isted almost exclusively of beta-carotene, while pigments obtained at highe r pressures contained a greater proportion of red carotenoids (capsorubin, capsanthin, zeaxanthin, beta-cryptoxanthin) and small amounts of beta-carot ene. The varying solubility of oil and pigments in SCF-CO2 was optimized to obtain enriched and concentrated oleoresins through a two-stage extraction at 2000 and 6000 psi. This technique removes the paprika oil and beta-caro tene during the first extraction step, allowing for second-stage oleoresin extracts with a high pigment concentration (200% relative to the reference) and a red: yellow pigment ratio of 1.8 (as compared to 1.3 in the referenc e).