Ittah, Y., Department of Food Science, Agricultural Research Organization, P.O. Box 6, Bet Dagan 50250, Israel
Kanner, J., Department of Food Science, Agricultural Research Organization, P.O. Box 6, Bet Dagan 50250, Israel
Granit, R., Department of Food Science, Agricultural Research Organization, P.O. Box 6, Bet Dagan 50250, Israel

A method of separating and identifying unsaponified pigments extracted from paprika (Capsicum annuum L. var. Lehava) is described. It is based on high-pressure liquid chromatography (two serially connected C18 columns with an empirical gradient) coupled with a photodiode array detection method. Well-separated groups of peaks, corresponding to free and mono- and diesterified carotenoids and β-carotene was observed. The relative changes of these various groups during saponification were monitorable owing to slow transesterification by sodium methoxide at room temperature. Unlike potassium hydroxide hydrolysis, this procedure is very convenient and nondestructive to labile carotenoids, e.g., β-carotene. © 1993 American Chemical Society.