Carotenoid extraction using edible vegetable oil: an enriched provitamin A product

Vitamin A deficiency is the third most important micronutrient deficiency having a significant impact on public health worldwide. The aim of this study was to develop a carotenoid extraction process with edible vegetable oils, using a central composite design which, concurrently, enriches the oils with provitamin A carotenoids. The stability of carotenoids in the oil and their shelf life was also evaluated. The process also aimed to meet the Recommended Daily Intake for vitamin A (600 ?g retinol equivalent for an adult) with the enriched oil. The results showed that 20 % of the vegetable matrix (dried carrot) in vegetable oil and 5 min of extraction time was an optimum combination for both soy oil (64.43 ?g retinol equivalent mL?1) and olive oil (62.98 ?g retinol equivalent mL?1). Furthermore, the ingestion of just a spoonful (?10 mL) of the enriched oils would meet the Recommended Daily Intake for vitamin A (600 ?g retinol equivalent), and, thus, it was possible to affirm that a dose of vegetable oils enriched with provitamin A contributes to meeting the Recommended Daily Intake for vitamin A. The proposed process is based on simple and low-cost technology that can be used to enrich edible oils (soybean and olive oil) with provitamin A. A deficiencia de vitamina A e a terceira deficiencia de micronutriente mais importante, com impacto significativo na saude publica em todo o mundo. O objetivo deste estudo foi desenvolver um processo de extracao de carotenoides com oleos vegetais comestiveis, utilizando um design composto central que, concomitantemente, enriquece os oleos com carotenoides pro-vitamina A. A estabilidade dos carotenoides no oleo e sua vida util tambem foi avaliada. O processo tambem teve como objetivo atender a Ingestao Diaria Recomendada de vitamina A (600 ?g de retinol equivalente para um adulto) com o oleo enriquecido. Os resultados mostraram que 20% da matriz vegetal (cenoura seca) em oleo vegetal e 5 min de tempo de extracao foi uma combinacao ideal tanto para oleo de soja (64,43 ?g retinol equivalente mL ? 1) e azeite (62,98 ?g retinol equivalente mL? 1). Alem disso, a ingestao de apenas uma colher (~ 10 mL) dos oleos enriquecidos atenderia a Ingestao Diaria Recomendada de vitamina A (600 ?g de retinol equivalente), e, assim, foi possivel afirmar que uma dose de oleos vegetais enriquecidos com A pro-vitamina A contribui para atingir a Ingestao Diaria Recomendada de vitamina A. O processo proposto e baseado em uma tecnologia simples e de baixo custo que pode ser usada para enriquecer oleos comestiveis (soja e azeite de oliva) com pro-vitamina A.