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¹ Department of Fisheries, Faculty of Science, University of Jaffna, Jaffna, Sri Lanka
² Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Jaffna, Jaffna, Sri Lanka
³ Department of Basic Sciences, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Sri Lanka DOI : 10.4194/AFS285 - Growing demand for sustainable, nutritious feed in aquaculture has led to the exploration of carotenoid-rich natural sources. This study examined the total carotenoid content (TCC) and pigments from three sources: the fruit of palmyrah plant, the shell of green tiger prawn, and a red seaweed. Using appropriate solvents, the crude yields were extracted, and carotenoid pigments were characterized through Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectrometry. Acetone and methanol were the most effective solvents for fruit of the palmyrah and shell of the prawn, while acetone and ether were used for a red seaweed. The green tiger prawn shells had the highest TCC (μg g-1) (377.1±27.2), followed by palmyrah fruit (230.97±8.71) and red seaweed (156.51±22.14). Palmyrah fruit exhibits a high number of pigments, beta-carotene, phytoene, lutein, violaxanthin, and lycopene, suggesting its potential as a natural source for dietary supplements. Prawn Shell revealed the presence of astaxanthin, a potent antioxidant with various health benefits, along with two additional pigments, lutein and zeaxanthin. Red seaweed showed a diverse range of carotenoids, including fucoxanthin, zeaxanthin, and lutein, which support its use in functional foods. The findings emphasize the potential of the three carotenoid sources as valuable colour-producing pigments for aquaculture. Keywords : Crude yield LC-MS Pigments Retention factor Total Carotenoid Content