Data from: Preparation of lutein through biotransformation in a microemulsion medium

To address the issues of low purity, poor stability, and environmental
pollution associated with traditional organic solvent extraction methods
for lutein production, and to meet the requirements for food-grade lutein
in industrial applications, this study developed a microemulsion system
using n-propyl acetate as the oil phase, Tween 80 as the surfactant, and
ethanol as the co-surfactant. A microemulsion with 60% water content was
successfully formulated as the reaction medium. Lipase was introduced to
catalyze the hydrolysis of lutein esters, followed by optimization of key
reaction parameters and evaluation of the stability of the resulting free
lutein. The results demonstrated that under optimized conditions, the
conversion rate of lutein ester reached 72.53 ± 2.80 %, representing a
153.87 % improvement compared to the 28.57 ± 1.81 % conversion achieved
when using an acetonitrile-aqueous solution as the enzymatic reaction
medium. Furthermore, the lutein microemulsion exhibited superior storage
and thermal stability relative to lutein in ethanol solution. Notably, all
components of the microemulsion system are approved food additives, making
the system suitable for use in food manufacturing. This work provides a
solid scientific foundation and a feasible technical pathway for the
production of food-grade lutein. With further research, this approach has
the potential to become an efficient and environmentally sustainable
method for the extraction of water-insoluble pigments.