The present study aims to evaluate the direct use of crude enzymes extract produced by solid state
fermentation (SSF) of Fusarium solani pisi to improve lycopene extraction from tomato processing by
products (TPB) and thus avoiding the downstream steps. Optimized production of the crude enzymes
extract (23.90 mg/ml) was obtained after 7 days of incubation of TPB moistened with distilled water (1/3,
w/v) at 30 C. Afterwards, TPB was pretreated by the crude enzymes extract with pectinolytic, cellulolytic
and cutinolytic activities and then subjected to ethanol extraction. The factors investigated included pH,
temperature, particle size and solid-to-crude enzymes solution ratio and results provided the following
optimal extraction conditions: pH ¼ 8, T ¼ 50 C, solid-to-enzyme ratio ¼ 1/30 (w/v) and TPB particle
size between 0.8 and 1.25 mm. Lycopene recovery was moderately higher when extracted using F. solani
crude enzymes extract compared to either pectinases and cellulases preparations. TPB enzymatic extract
exhibited powerful antioxidant activity even better than the ethanol TPB extract. The obtained results
strongly support the idea of using enzymes from SSF of F. solani as an effective means for recovering
powerful antioxidant from tomato by products.