A Simplified Method to Estimate Sc-CO2 Extraction of Bioactive Compounds from Different Matrices: Chili Pepper vs. Tomato By-Products

In the last few decades, the search for bioactive compounds or “target molecules” from natural sources or their by-products has become the most important application of the supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) process. In this context, the present research had two main objectives: (i) to verify the effectiveness of a two-step SFE process (namely, a preliminary Sc-CO2 extraction of carotenoids followed by the recovery of polyphenols by ethanol coupled with Sc-CO2) in order to obtain bioactive extracts from two widespread different matrices (chili pepper and tomato by-products), and (ii) to test the validity of the mathematical model proposed to describe the kinetics of SFE of carotenoids from different matrices, the knowledge of which is required also for the definition of the role played in the extraction process by the characteristics of the sample matrix. On the basis of the results obtained, it was possible to introduce a simplified kinetic model that was able to describe the time evolution of the extraction of bioactive compounds (mainly carotenoids and phenols) from different substrates. In particular, while both chili pepper and tomato were confirmed to be good sources of bioactive antioxidant compounds, the extraction process from chili pepper was faster than from tomato under identical operating conditions.