Improved extraction procedure for carotenoids from human milk

An improves method for the extraction of the major carotenoids from human m ilk is described. Carotenoids were extracted from milk first with ethanol a nd n-hexane. Then, polar xanthophylls were extracted from n-hexane into eth anol/water. The remaining n-hexane was evaporated, the residue combined wit h the ethanolic milk fraction and the mixture briefly saponified. Carotenoi ds were extracted from the hydrolysate with n-hexane, combined with the pol ar xanthophylls from the non-saponified ethanol/water-extract and separated by HPLC. Using this method we were able to significantly improve the recov ery of xanthophylls such as lutein and zeaxanthin from human milk. The reco very rate of all carotenoids was > 90%. This method might not only be of va lue for milk but should be especially useful in the extraction of carotenoi ds from human tissues such as the adipose tissue.