Chlorophyll Extraction Methods Review and Chlorophyll Stability of Katuk Leaves (Sauropus androgynous)

Abstract

Chlorophyll is one of the most used coloring materials derived from green leaves and other parts of almost all green plants. It contains several components that are beneficial to health: vitamins, antioxidants, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory; hence, chlorophyll is a nutraceutical. Chlorophyll has been developed by extracting green plants, for instance, katuk leaves (Sauropus androgynous). A review of various chlorophyll extraction methods from natural ingredients was done to obtain the most suitable katuk leaves. Preliminary experiments had been carried out to develop the chlorophyll stability of katuk leaves on the influence of temperature, pH, and storage time. The chlorophyll content of katuk leaves decreased at high temperatures. Extraction using supercritical/subcritical CO2 can extract components selectively so that it is suitable for extraction applications for products that are not heat resistant. Meanwhile, carbon dioxide (CO2) as a supercritical/subcritical solvent has several advantages, including producing an inert gas that is non-toxic, non-flammable, and cheap. Under normal gas conditions, it is straightforward to separate CO2 and dissolved components without heating and producing extracts free of solvents. The most suitable chlorophyll extraction method of katuk leaves was supercritical/subcritical CO2 extraction because it could prevent chlorophyll degradation.