Extraction was tried with diethyl ether and also with hexane (2 x 50 and 1 x 100 mL) in both cases. The greatest yield was obtained when the extraction was performed twice with 50 mL of hexane, agitated for 2 min. It is better to use hexane instead of diethyl ether, because ethyl ether is more inflammable and unstable than hexane, and the latter can be removed at temperatures below 50 C at reduced pressure. Valls et al. also obtained the best results using hexane for extraction in cooked sausages. Washing the organic phase with water or ethanol at a concentration equal or less than 60% v/v removes the polar compounds with non-significant losses of fat-soluble vitamins , and so it was washed the organic phase twice with an ethanol–water mixture (15:35, v/v) for 1 min and finally with water until no phenolphthalein reaction was observed, which ensured that the remnants of KOH had been eliminated.