Received: 27-10-2017 / Accepted: 02-04-2018
Lycopene, one of the natural substances, possesses high antioxidant activity. It is widely used in food, cosmestic, and pharmaceutical industries. Tomato is a rich source of lycopene present in the water insoluble fractions such as skin and pulp. Therefore, solid waste from the tomato processing industry is a potential material for lycopene extraction. This study aimed to optimize factors influencing the drying process of tomato waste to be used for lycopene extraction. Optimal drying temperature and final moisture content were 65oC and 23%, respectively. Under these conditions, the lycopene content of the dried tomato waste was 8.92 mg/g dry matterand the antioxidant activity of the lycopene extract was8.14 µmol TE/g dry matter.