Sequential extraction of lutein and β‐carotene from wet microalgal biomass
BACKGROUND: Microalgae are a promising resource to produce carotenoids for food/feed applications. However, energy-intensive pre-treatments such as drying and cell destruction can hinder the sustainability of the process. Direct extraction from wet biomass may reduce energy consumption, but the residual water can reduce the effectiveness of the organic solvents used for the extraction. In this work, the extraction of lutein and β-carotene from wet untreated microalgal biomass is investigated. The process includes a sequence of successive extraction stages with methanol.