Monitoring the stability of the xanthophyll fucoxanthin in microalga and seaweed biomasses, and extracts stored at low temperatures

The analysis of fucoxanthin (FCX) in algal biomasses presents some limitations, especially regarding the sample preservation after collection until extraction pigment. FCX stability was evaluated biomass samples one diatom and three brown seaweed species (Phaeophyceae) their extracts stored at -20ºC -80ºC, for 60 days. Fucoxanthin quantified through UHPLC-DAD. methanolic micro/macroalga -80ºC were more effective preserving xanthophyll, comparatively to biomasses. Besides, chromatographic showed an increase FCX’s peak retention time along storage, possibly due trans→cis isomerization molecule. Such information is relevant choosing best protocol storing most FCX, because changes geometric conformations molecule over storage strongly affects its biological activities.