## 3 Results  
In Table 2, oil content (OC) and carotenoid content (LC and \(\beta\)C) determined in each matrix with the Soxhlet technique are reported. Extraction yields obtained in trials #1 \(\div\) #5 are reported in Table 3.  
Trial#1 provided extraction yields equal to 0.005 \(\pm\) 0.001 mg/mg and 0.074 \(\pm\) 0.002 mg/mg for lycopene and \(\beta\)-carotene, respectively. These low values could be attributed not only to the difficulties in penetrating the extracting solvent into the P matrix but also to the low affinity of Noroflurane with lycopene and \(\beta\)-carotene and their possible degradation in the absence of protecting co-solvents during the extraction process. In trials #2 and #3, TP were blended to TS and WGF, respectively, and used as lipid sources, in order to enhance the extraction process and increase the carotenoid stability. \begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{c c c c c} \hline \hline
**Matrix** & **Grinding** & **OC** & **LC** & **\(\beta\)C** \\  & **Pre-Treatment** & **(goil/gdry solid)** & **(mglycopene/gdry solid)** & **(mg\(\beta\)-carotene/gdry solid)** \\ \hline TS & yes & 0.16 \(\pm\) 0.388 \({}^{\mathrm{a}}\) & 0.058 \(\pm\) 0.0042 \({}^{\mathrm{a}}\) & 0.035 \(\pm\) 0.0028 \({}^{\mathrm{a}}\) \\ WGF & no & 0.10 \(\pm\) 0.329 \({}^{\mathrm{b}}\) & ND & 0.015 \(\pm\) 0.002 \({}^{\mathrm{b}}\) \\ TP & yes & ND & 0.650 \(\pm\) 0.0495 \({}^{\mathrm{b}}\) & 0.197 \(\pm\) 0.066 \({}^{\mathrm{c}}\) \\ \hline \hline \end{tabular}
\end{table} 
Table 2: Oil Content (OC), lycopene content (LC), and \(\beta\)-carotene content (\(\beta\)C) in tomato seeds (TS), wheat germ flour (WGF), and tomato peels (TP) determined by Soxhlet extraction. During trial #2/(BPS), the simultaneous extraction of TS oil and carotenoids allowed for obtaining higher extraction yields of 0.063 \(\pm\) 0.004 mg/mg and 0.421 \(\pm\) 0.023 mg/mg for lycopene and \(\beta\)-carotene, respectively, and the final concentrations of carotenoids in the TS lipid fraction resulted to be 0.240 \(\pm\) 0.004 mg/g for lycopene and 0.600 \(\pm\) 0.011 mg/g for \(\beta\)-carotene. When WGF was used as a co-matrix in trial #3/(BPWGF), lycopene and \(\beta\)-carotene yields of 0.106 \(\pm\) 0.009 mg/mg and 0.292 \(\pm\) 0.013 mg/mg, respectively, were found, and lycopene and \(\beta\)-carotene concentrations of 0.270 \(\pm\) 0.012 mg/g and 0.263 \(\pm\) 0.007 mg/g, respectively, were reached in WGF oil after 2 h of the extraction process. To understand if a different availability of the lipid fractions used as co-solvents could improve the extraction yields, oily co-matrices (TS and WGF) were arranged in a layer configuration in the upper region of the extraction chamber, above the TP layer (trials #4 and #5). In the case of trial #4/(LSP), a sensible increase in the extraction of carotenoids was observed, as reported in Table 3, and extraction yields resulted approximately doubled in comparison with those obtained with the blended arrangement (BPS). Yields equal to 0.132 \(\pm\) 0.010 mg/mg and 0.733 \(\pm\) 0.037 mg/mg for lycopene and \(\beta\)-carotene, respectively, were reached in the 2 h process, and lycopene and \(\beta\)-carotene concentrations of 0.328 \(\pm\) 0.163 mg/g and 0.952 \(\pm\) 0.002 mg/g, respectively, were measured in tomato seed oil. Analogously, the layered configuration LWGFP (trial #5) showed a slight increase in lycopene yield (0.123 \(\pm\) 0.010 mg/mg) and a much higher \(\beta\)-carotene recovery (0.842 \(\pm\) 0.043 mg/mg, respectively) than those observed in BPWGF. Moreover, the corresponding carotenoid concentrations measured in WGF oil were 0.309 \(\pm\) 0.012 mg/g, for lycopene, and 0.733 \(\pm\) 0.038 mg/g, for \(\beta\)-carotene. Table 4 shows a comparison between various solvents, in terms of amount of lycopene extracted with respect to the TP dry weight. Cumulative extraction yields of the oils and carotenoids were determined during trials #6/(LSP) and #7/(LWGFP). Figure 2 shows a comparison between the cumulative yields of TS and WGF oils, determined with layered configurations.