Effect of Temperature on the Chemical Quality of β-Carotene Extracted from Azollafiliculoides of Anzali Wetland

Purpose: This study assesses the quality of β-Carotene from a natural source, Azolla, in comparison with synthetic β-Carotene, and looks at seasonal variation in composition. Methods: Azolla collected from summer and winter was extracted using organic solvents. The synthetic β-Carotene used as a control was obtained from a pharmacy. All treatments were stored for one year at 5 oC. The samples were analyzed to measure purity and concentration, and then used for colorimetric and vitamin A analysis. Main findings: Our results showed significant differences (p< 0.05) between experimental and control treatments. The winter Azolla samples contained larger amounts of the β-Carotene (p <0.05) than the β-Carotene samples from summer Azolla which contain β-Carotene but in lesser amounts than winter samples. Tetrahydrofuran provided the best β-Carotene solubility, and methanol and acetonitrile the lowest. Cyclohexanone provided the most degradation. After one year of storage, the experimental treatments did, however, retain a reasonable acceptable chemical quality. Conclusion: Considering the health benefits of natural β-Carotene over synthetic β-Carotene, this study indicated β-Carotene extracted from Azolla could be a viable alternative to synthetic β-Carotene in the food industry.