Extraction and solubility studies of virgin coconut oil from coconut (cocos nucifera) flesh using supercritical carbon dioxide
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Date
2011
Authors
Setianto, Wahyu Bahari
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Abstract
Coconut (Cocos nucifera) oil which is extracted from fresh coconut flesh is
known as virgin coconut oil (VCO). The oil is a natural source of medium chain
tryglycerides (MCTs) which has been well known as healthy oil. It is remarkable that
very few reports on the extraction of the VCO using SC-C02 have been published
hitherto the fundamental insights on the SC-C02 extraction processes of the coconut
oil are much lacking. The objectives of this work are evaluating the parameters
effects of VCO extraction using SC-C02 and examination of the oil solubility in SCC02.
The assessment of interaction effects of extraction parameters was
performed using a Response surface methodology (RSM). The study was carried out
according to Box-Behnken design. Pressure (20. 7 - 34.5 MPa), temperature (313 -
353 K) and C02 consumption (I 0 - 60 g) were chosen as the parameters. The
responses were the extraction yield and the MCTs content of extracted oil. The yield
was calculated by gravimetric and the MCTs content analysis was performed using
GC analysis. A correlation was established with p -value for both responses at 95%
confident level. The Solubility measurement was performed by dynamic method at
the pressures and temperatures range of 20.7 to 34.5 MPa and 313 to 353 K
respectively. Oil solubility analysis was performed using gravimetric and curve
analysis. The oil solubility increases with temperature at pressures between 31.0 and
34.5 MPa and decreases with temperature at pressures between 20.7 and 24.1 MPa.
The solubility experimental data obtained was correlated with Chrastil and del VaileAguilera
model, which are based on the C02 density. A solubility cross-over region
was observed in the pressure range of 27.5 to 30.5 MPa and at around 29 MPa, the
solubility ofVCO in SC-C02 is practically independent of temperature. The validity
of the solubility data was performed by its comparison with previous reported data of
pure triglyceride solubility in SC-C02 and performing a self-consistency test with
the method ofMendez-Santiago and Teja.