Ethanolic extract from giant red shrimp (aristaeomorpha foliacea) cephalothorax. A waste-derived sustainable ingredient with antioxidant and anti-lipotoxic activity

Shrimp by-products are a promising source of bioactives. This study investigated the composition and thebioactivity of a preparation obtained in mild conditions via ethanol extraction from the cephalothorax of theMediterranean red shrimp species Aristaeomorpha foliacea. The crude extract (CE) exhibited high levels ofastaxanthin (AST) and polyphenols, which contributed to its notable antioxidant activity. Monounsaturatedfatty acids dominated the lipid profile of CE (46%), reflecting a typical trait of deep-sea species, whilepolyunsaturated and saturated fatty acids accounted for 33% and 21%, respectively. Chemical fractionationyielded a hydrophobic fraction (HF; AST-enriched) and a polar fraction (PF; polyphenols-enriched). In hepatic(HuH7) and intestinal (HCT15) human cells, CE induced dose-dependent lipid droplet accumulation andprotected against palmitic acid-induced lipotoxicity: it restored cell viability, reduced reactive oxygen species,prevented lipid peroxidation and induced modulation of antioxidant enzymes, including catalase, glutathioneperoxidase, and superoxide dismutase. While the HF alone partially reproduced these effects, full antioxidantand cytoprotective activity required the synergistic contribution of both fractions. These findings support thepotential application of shrimp waste-derived ethanol extracts as sustainable sources of functional ingredientsfor oxidative stress-related conditions.