Browsing by Author "Chiliquinga Angulo, Joel Alexander"

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    Obtención de astaxantina a partir de exoesqueletos de cangrejo rojo (Ucides occidentalis)
    (Universidad Técnica de Ambato. Facultad de Ciencia e Ingeniería en Alimentos y Biotecnología. Carrera de Alimentos, 2025-02) Chiliquinga Angulo, Joel Alexander; Cadena Carrera, Santiago Esmiro
    Astaxanthin is a carotenoid with outstanding biological activity, and its antioxidant capacity surpasses those of other carotenoids. Since the use of synthetic astaxanthin is restricted, there has been growing interest in obtaining this compound from natural sources. Astaxanthin is responsible for the characteristic reddish hue of the red crab (Ucides occidentalis). In Ecuador, approximately 40 million red crabs are caught annually for consumption, which generates a sanitation problem due to the large amounts of resulting by-products, as 70 to 80 percent corresponds to the inedible fraction of crustaceans. Considering this, the present study evaluated the overall extraction yield and the amount of astaxanthin present in each extract using extraction techniques such as Soxhlet and maceration, considering the extraction time. The overall extraction yield and astaxanthin content were evaluated by gravimetry and spectrophotometry, respectively. The highest overall yield was obtained using the Soxhlet technique at 210 min (0.120 percent), and the highest astaxanthin content was obtained using the Soxhlet technique at 180 min (332.132 microgram per gram). The antioxidant capacity of the extract with the highest astaxanthin content was evaluated by the DPPH method, where 48.779 percent inhibition equivalent to 250.620 micromoles of Trolox per liter was obtained. Therefore, the present investigation demonstrated the production of astaxanthin, evaluating its yield as a function of the extraction time with ethanol and its antioxidant capacity.