Hello.

To begin with, centrifuge the biomass from the culture medium, collect and destroy the cells in a bead beader with zirconia beads in a solvent, or use a French press to be sure. Acetone containing BHT is the simplest solvent. For the Folch method, a common lipid extraction method, chloroform should be replaced with dichloromethane. Note that carotenoids containing hydroxyl and carbonyl groups, such as astaxanthin, may show artifacts due to alkaline saponification. Detailed methods can be consulted individually. Please feel free to ask me by e-mail via Research gate!

Good luck.

The best way to extract carotenoids from microbes is to use a combination of physical and chemical methods. Physical methods, such as sonication, grinding and homogenization, are used to break down cell walls and release the carotenoids from the microbial cells. Chemical methods, such as extraction with organic solvents, can then be used to separate the carotenoids from other microbial constituents. Additionally, enzymes such as lipases and esterases can be used to hydrolyze the carotenoid esters and improve the extraction efficiency.