Research Progress on Application of Deep Eutectic Solvent in the Extraction of Carotenoids

Carotenoids are a class of fat-soluble compounds widely associated with human health, because of their antioxidant, vision-protective and other effects. Deep eutectic solvents (DESs) are a new generation of green solvents. DESs are convenient to produce and have higher biocompatibility, biodegradability, solvent efficiency, thermal stability, and lower volatility compared to traditional organic solvents. Although DES has exhibited effective extraction on natural substances in food, its application on the extraction of carotenoids have not yet been widely studied. In this paper, the characteristics and classification of DES are described, the application of DES on extraction of carotenoids is reviewed, the existing problems for the separation of carotenoids from DES are proposed, and the application perspective of DES in the extraction and separation of carotenoids is outlined, aiming to provide a reference for the development and application of new green solvents for carotenoid extraction.