OBTENTION OF A FUCOXANTHIN-ENRICHED EXTRACT BY ALCOHOL-SAL AQUEOUS TWO-PHASE SYSTEMS.

摘要

The following invention refers to the obtention of a fucoxanthyn-enriched extract from large brown algae (Macrocystis pyrifera amongst others) by means of a process that involves at least a step of alcohol-sal aqueous two-phase systems. Said process may involve the whole or some of the following steps (1) algae preparation, (2) fucoxanthine extraction, (3) selective fractioning of fucoxanthine in the alcohol-sal aqueous two-phase system, (5) concentration of the fucoxanthine-enriched extract,(6) purification of the fucoxanthine-enriched extract by liquid chromatography, (7) final concentration of the fucoxanthine-enriched extract. The designed process is efficient and versatile, since it allows, by means of the combination of the involved steps, to generate products with a purity suitable to be applied in a wide variety of applications, including food, sweeteners, pharmaceutical and analytical applications.