EVALUATION OF THE EFFICIENCY OF THE EXTRACTION OF THE CAROTENOID NORBIXIN FROM ANNAUT SEEDS (Bixa Orellana L.) USING ALKALINE SOLUTION BY TWO EXTRACTION ROUTES

Abstract

Annatto-based dyes have been one of the most widely used in the world and also have wide applications in the textile, paint, cosmetic, pharmaceutical, and food industries. Among them, the carotenoid norbixin has antioxidant, antimicrobial, and antitumor properties. Thus, the objective of this work is to extract norbixin from annatto seeds through alkaline extraction considering two extraction routes, since the development of an efficient, environmentally safe, and economically viable extraction method has become indispensable. The characterizations performed were UV/vis, XRD, FTIR, TGA, and DSC. UV/vis spectrophotometry revealed that extraction route 2 (NBX_R2) extracted the highest concentration of total soluble solids, however, with lower crystallinity due to the presence of starch as a byproduct identified by the diffractogram (XRD). The FTIR spectrophotometry revealed the respective absorption bands and the DSC curve showed greater energy absorption to degrade the greater quantity of residue present in the extracted product and identified in the respective thermogram.