Abstract

Kanokphorn Sangkharak*, Piyaporn Pasitkul, Nisa Paiyit and Pongnarin Aonchart

Five strains of lipase-producing bacteria were selected and determined for enzyme activity. As well as, the potential of enzymatic extraction on carotenoids from dried chili was also investigated. Among five strains, Bacillus subtilis yielded the highest lipase activity (25.5±0.2 U/ml) within 60 days of cultivation followed by Candida tropicalis (19.1±0.3 U/ml), Candida albicans (10.6±0.2 U/ml), Bacillus stearothermophilis (14.1±0.0 U/ml) and Bacillus sphaericus (0.6±0.2 U/ml). Lipase from B. subtilis and C. tropicalis were applied for carotenoids extraction from chili samples (Capsicum annuum L.). During the experiments, the chili was cut, dried with freeze dryer and characterized. The chili sample dried with freeze-drying method had a final moisture content and fat content at 4.05±0.19% and 6.62±0.11%, respectively. The chili powder was applied for pigment extraction using enzyme and solvent extraction. The highest carotenoids content (6.26 g of total carotenoids/ kg of powder) was obtained from dried chili extracted with lipase from B. subtilis at lipase concentration of 25 U/ml. In particular, extraction with lipase from B. subtilis, yielded an increase of 1.56 folds for carotenoids content as compared to control.