Technological Advancement in the Processing of Lycopene: A Review

Lycopene belongs to carotenoid group having lipophilic nature with strong antioxidant potential against numerous diseases. Hence, it has been used extensively in functional foods and pharmaceutical industries to harvest as many benefits from this unique gift from nature as possible. The history, chemistry, extraction techniques, isomers of lycopene and their technological and biological significance from stability to bioaccessibility point of view have been discussed in detail. Most recent advances and methodologies to solve the challenges being faced during extraction, isomerization and within human body, i.e., processing, environmental and gastrointestinal stresses of lycopene, have been highlighted in this review. The most successful extraction technique was found to be green extraction techniques. Heat-induced isomerization by conventional heating has been studied most widely by researchers; while less data are available on catalyst and microwave treated isomerization suggesting heat treated isomerization to be more reliable for research and processing point of view. Also, special compounds produced from normal food materials may stimulate the isomerization of all-trans lycopene to cis-isomers. At the end, it was found that after successfully extracting and isomerizing lycopene we can perform encapsulation by using different nanocarriers and method to enhance the stability, solubility and bioaccessibility of lycopene and its isomers.Abbreviations: GIT: Gastrointestinal tract; GRAS: Generally regarded as safe; EAE: Enzyme assisted extraction; UAE: Ultrasound assisted extraction; SFE: Super-critical fluid extraction; SC-CO2: Super critical carbon dioxide; MAE: Microwave-assisted extraction; NLCs: Lipid-based nanocarriers; SLNs: Solid lipid nanocarriers; OSA: Octenyl succinic anhydride.