Feasibility of Individual Carotenoid Quantification in Mixtures Using UV-Vis Spectrophotometry with Multivariate Curve Resolution Alternating Least Squares (MCR-ALS)

A fast and low-cost analytical method to determine the concentrations of carotenoids (β-carotene, lutein, lycopene) from mixed standard solutions or fruit extracts (kiwi fruits, tomato paste, pink grapefruit juice, kiwi-pineapple smoothie, apricot nectar) was tested. The methodology based on UV-Vis spectrophotometry Multivariate Curve Resolution-Alternating Least Squares (MCR-ALS). Results showed that relative β-carotene, lycopene in solvent were successfully determined by this technique with an error inferior 6%. In real extracts, procedure succeeded well identifying major carotenoid type samples but also a more complex profile mixture. results accuracy determination spectrophotometry-MCR-ALS conditioned their spectral characteristics (III/II ratios λmax), proportion, extract purity.