# Optimization of β-Carotene Enrichment of Coconut Oil from Canistel (Pouteria campechiana L.) Using Response Surface Methodology

## TL;DR

This study develops a method to enrich coconut oil with β-carotene using an underutilized tropical fruit, resulting in a nutritionally enhanced oil with improved stability and antioxidant properties.

## Contribution

A solvent-free β-carotene enrichment process for coconut oil using Canistel, optimized via RSM to maximize β-carotene retention and oil quality.

## Key findings

- Optimized conditions (52.4°C and 50% oil) achieved a β-carotene concentration of 2.22 µg/mL in coconut oil.
- Fortified oil showed higher polyphenolic and flavonoid content and antioxidant activity compared to commercial coconut oil.
- The enriched oil exhibited improved oxidative stability with low peroxide and acid values.

## Abstract

Vitamin A deficiency (VAD) affects millions of people around the world, particularly in populations with limited dietary diversity. The present study aimed to develop β-carotene-fortified coconut oil using Pouteria campechiana (Canistel), which is an underutilized tropical fruit rich in β-carotene. A solvent-free fortification process was optimized using response surface methodology (RSM) with a central composite design to evaluate the effects of oil percentage (50–100% w/v) and heating temperature (30–60 °C) on β-carotene retention and oil quality. The quadratic model showed excellent fit (R2 = 0.9970; lack of fit p = 0.6815), while optimum conditions were identified at 52.4 °C and 50% (w/w) oil, yielding a predicted β-carotene concentration of 2.22 µg/mL. The fortified oil exhibited significantly higher polyphenolic (17.37 ± 2.04 mg GAE/g), total flavonoid (11.33 ± 0.89 mg QE/g) contents, and antioxidant activity (9.78 ± 0.53 mg TE/g) compared with commercial coconut oil. The optimized oil demonstrated enhanced oxidative stability, reflected by lower peroxide (0.05 ± 0.01 meqO2/kg) and acid values (0.10 ± 0.01 mg KOH/g). The validated quadratic model and optimized process produced a nutritionally enriched, stable coconut oil, supporting its use as a clean-label functional ingredient. These findings highlight the potential of β-carotene-fortified oils to deliver provitamin A and antioxidant benefits. Future studies should focus on evaluating the bioavailability, storage stability, and sensory acceptability of β-carotene enriched coconut oil to confirm its nutritional and commercial potential.