Abstract
The request for natural products such as antioxidant pigments derived from microalgae, i.e. ßbeta-carotene, lutein and astaxanthin, is growing. In this context, astaxanthin, a powerful antioxidant produced by Haematococcus pluvialis, used as an additive in animal feed and as a food supplement, has been extracted by acceleratedor solvent extraction using acetone and ethanol as green and safe solvents, and hexane and chloroform:methanol (1:1) performing the best operative operating conditions. The obtained extracts showed not only the recovery of mainly astaxanthin but also other carotenoids, such as lutein and in lesser part of ßbeta-carotene. In addition, the composition of the extracts was analyzed by highlighting the content of other valuable bio-products such as proteins, carbohydrates, lipids and Total Dietary Fibers. The best extraction performance was finding found using acetone and ethanol as solvent.
