Evaluation of the Quality of Beta-Carotene Derived from Azolla Filiculoides in the Anzali Wetland Using the Organic Solutions Method in Autumn

Background and Objectives: Beta-carotene was prepared from Azolla by Lejeune et al. (2000). Beta carotene production from Azolla filiculoides in the Anzali wetland has not been investigated in Iran so far. The present project was aimed at determining the content, quality, and purity of β-carotene extracted from Azolla filiculoides in the Anzali Wetland, and comparing it with synthetic β-carotene. Material and Methods: One treatment had β-carotene derived from Azolla filiculoides in the Anzali Wetland through the organic solutions method in the Autumn of 2014. The treatments were kept at 5 °C for one year. Synthetic β-carotene was used as the control. The quality of the treatments was assessed by the measurement of the content and quality of β-carotene, colorimetry using the Hunter-LAB method, determination of the purity and vitamin A employing HPLC, estimation of the dwell-time duration at 5 °C, and measurement of the solubility of β-carotene in water. Results: The results of the tests regarding the purity, concentration, colorimetric, vitamin compounds, dwell time, and solubility in the experimental β-carotene, compared with those in the control, revealed significant difference (p<0.05). Moreover, the factors showed no significant difference between the control and experimental treatments during the dwell time (p>0.05). According to the achieved results from chemical tests and the shelf life of the test samples, the natural β-carotene had a desirable chemical quality during the storage period at 5 °C for one year. Conclusions: Since there was a significant difference between the β-carotene derived from Azolla filiculoides and the synthetic one in terms of the chemical tests, purity, and dwell time, and as the natural β-carotene derived from Azolla filiculoides takes precedence over the synthetic one in terms of the food hygiene, it is recommended that natural β-carotene extracted from Azolla filiculoides be substituted for synthetic β-carotene in the food industry.