Astaxanthin extraction from lobster “Panulirus penicillatus” waste and its quantification by environmentally safe microbial methods

ABSTRACT The accumulation of large amounts of crustacean waste is a major environmental issue, however, this waste can yield valuable bioactive chemicals. Carotenoids and astaxanthin were recovered from the exoskeleton of red sea lobsters (Panulirus penicillatus) utilizing three eco-friendly techniques. The techniques employed include the use of flaxseed oil at various incubation durations, the use of beneficial bacterial and fungal strains (Lactobacillus lactis, Bifidobacterium lactis, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and Candida utilis) in the biological method, and the utilization of microorganisms with flaxseed oil. The spectrophotometer and HPLC results showed that after one hour of incubation, the highest amount of astaxanthin and carotenoid achieved in the flaxseed oil extraction was 0.52g/g and 13.4g/g, respectively. Also, the highest quantities of astaxanthin and carotenoid in the biological technique achieved using S. cerevisiae were 0.7g/g and 30.766g/g, respectively. The last approach yielded the highest amounts (9.39g/g for astaxanthin and 46.266g/g for carotenoid). It is critical to develop more environmentally acceptable technologies for extracting bioactive chemicals from crustacean waste to decrease environmental contamination in the future. Also, extensive research to enhance extraction efficiency will eventually minimize the need for chemicals.