Question

Can I extract beta carotene from carrots using acetone? If yes, how? If not, what else can I do?

Answer 1

Carotenoids are widely known as provitamin A, while there is an increasing interest in their role as antioxidants. For this purpose carrot roots are cut to slices (width 2 mm, length 1 cm). The extraction yield of carotenes is observed at different temperatures (20°C, 40°C, and 60°C) using ethanol and 2-propanol. Initially, 25 g of cut carrot samples are  added to 100 g of 96% ethanol. Carrot slices are extracted in water bath (20°C, 40°C, 60°C), shake after every 10 min, and after every hour of extraction 5 ml sample are s taken and mixed with petroleum ether (20 ml). Water is

added for the separation of phases, and after the separation the petroleum-ether-carotenoid phase is  made up to the volume of 50 ml.