The methodology for carotenoids extraction was described by Olives Barba et al. (2006) . Initially, fresh by-products were washed with water (25:75 w/v) to eliminate remaining sugars that could interfere with the subsequent drying process of extracts.
Then, by-products were divided into 4 portions and each of them were individually washed three times with one of the solvents or solvent combinations assayed for 20 min at 40ºC and 150 rpm, until a colorless liquid was obtained. Extraction solvents and solvent combinations used were: ethanol, acetone, ethanol/acetone (50:50 v/v) and ethanol/acetone/hexane (25:25:50 v/v/v). The different extracts were reduced using a rotary evaporator low pressure (Series R-210, Buchi) at 40ºC in darkness. Residue was saponified with 5 mL of KOH (30%) during 1 h at 56ºC according to Müller (1997) .
Obtained solution was transferred to a funnel and mixed with 100 mL ethyl ether to separate the organic phase, which was subsequently washed three times with water according to Izuchi et al. (2009) . Extracts were dried in a Genevac™ miVac Centrifugal Vacuum Concentrator (SP Scientific) at 40ºC and lyophilized (Telstar Cryodos-80, Terrassa, Barcelona, Spain) for removing the residual water. The final dry weight of extracts were used to calculate extraction yields (%YE). Extracts were stored at -80ºC.
The different extracts were obtained in triplicate.
Then, by-products were divided into 4 portions and each of them were individually washed three times with one of the solvents or solvent combinations assayed for 20 min at 40ºC and 150 rpm, until a colorless liquid was obtained. Extraction solvents and solvent combinations used were: ethanol, acetone, ethanol/acetone (50:50 v/v) and ethanol/acetone/hexane (25:25:50 v/v/v). The different extracts were reduced using a rotary evaporator low pressure (Series R-210, Buchi) at 40ºC in darkness. Residue was saponified with 5 mL of KOH (30%) during 1 h at 56ºC according to Müller (1997) .
Obtained solution was transferred to a funnel and mixed with 100 mL ethyl ether to separate the organic phase, which was subsequently washed three times with water according to Izuchi et al. (2009) . Extracts were dried in a Genevac™ miVac Centrifugal Vacuum Concentrator (SP Scientific) at 40ºC and lyophilized (Telstar Cryodos-80, Terrassa, Barcelona, Spain) for removing the residual water. The final dry weight of extracts were used to calculate extraction yields (%YE). Extracts were stored at -80ºC.
The different extracts were obtained in triplicate.