Spectrophotometric Analysis of Lycopene in Tomatoes and Watermelons: A Practical Class

TCE

The Chemical Educator

ISSN: 1430-4171 (electronic version)

Table of Contents

Abstract Volume 13 Issue 1 (2008) pp 11-13

Spectrophotometric Analysis of Lycopene in Tomatoes and Watermelons: A Practical Class

Lidia María Ravelo-Pérez, Javier Hernández-Borges, Miguel Ángel Rodríguez-Delgado, Teresa Borges-Miquel*

Department of Analytical Chemistry, Nutrition and Food Science, University of La Laguna, Avda. Astrofísico Fco. Sánchez s/nº, 38071, La Laguna, Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain, tborges@ull.es
Received January 15, 2007. Accepted August 10, 2007

Published online: 20 January 2008

Abstract. Lycopene is one of the most important and abundant carotenoids. It has been shown to play a very important role in human nutrition, mainly due to its high antioxidant activity. In order to show our students of analytical chemistry a practical application of food analysis as well as the different steps of the analytical methodology, we have carried out a practical analytical chemistry class which consists on the determination of lycopene in both tomato and watermelon samples by means of a quick spectrophotometric method with data analysis. The proposed class, which will be described (as well as the results obtained by our students), can be applied in subjects related with analytical chemistry, food analysis, agriculture, etc.

Key Words: Laboratories and Demonstrations; lycopene; spectrophotometry; tomato; watermelon; box and whiskers

(*) Corresponding author. (E-mail: tborges@ull.es)

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