How To Analyse Lycopene Content (TOMATO CONTENT)

 How To Analyse Lycopene Content (TOMATO CONTENT) 

Lycopene is a member of the red carotene found in Carrot, Watermelons, pawpaw, etc. Tomato is a red fruit made up of a red pigment call Lycopene. Lycopene is the major antioxidant in tomatoes. Lycopene is a powerful antioxidant without vitamin A activity due to the absence of beta-dione group. 

Importance of Lycopene 

 It serves as antioxidant 

AIM: To determine the amount of Lycopene in Tomato products 

APPARATUS: Separating funnel, Shaker, 100ml volumetric flask, beaker 

REAGENT: Petroleum ether, distilled water 

PRINCIPLE: The Lycopene in Tomato is readily soluble in organic solvent and thus petroleum ether is used to extract it from the product. 

PROCEDURE: 

Weigh 1g of the sample into 100ml volumetric flask, dissolve and made up to the mark with distilled water

From the solution, measure 10ml into a separating funnel and add 40ml of distilled water.

Add 25ml of petroleum ether.

Set up the shaker, connect the separating funnel and leave to shake for 30minutes

Remove the separating funnel from the shaker and decant the lower portion.

Pour the remaining solution into a beaker (after decanting the lower portion) and take to the UV-VIS Spectrometer to read the absorbance, making Petroleum ether as your blank. 

CALCULATION 

Percentage Tomato content (Lycopene) = 1000 * abs * 100 

               282* 1.42* 4 * weight taken 

LIMIT: Minimum of 28%