This work reports on supercritical CO2 extraction of lycopene
from tomato peel by-product carried out with the use of indigenous
oil from tomato seed obtained along with the tomato peel. The aim of
this work was to determine the effect of temperature, pressure, and
CO2flowrate on lycopene recovery from tomato peel in the presence
of tomato seed oil as a co-solvent. We considered that the presence
of tomato seed oil can improve the extraction of lycopene and have a
beneficial role in the stability of lycopene due to its fatty acid content
(Vasapollo et al., 2004; Lenucci et al., 2010). In addition, the effect of
extraction conditions on the b-carotene extracted and the concentration
of lycopene in supercritical CO2 in the presence of tomato
seed oil was also investigated.