Extraction and solubility studies of virgin coconut oil from coconut (Cocos nucifera) flesh using supercritical carbon dioxide
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Date
2011-01
Authors
Setianto, Wahyu Bahari
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Universiti Sains Malaysia
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-CO2 have been published
hitherto the fundamental insights on the SC-CO2 extraction processes of the coconut
oil are much lacking. The objectives of this work are evaluating the parameters
effects of VCO extraction using SC-CO2 and examination of the oil solubility in SCCO2.
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 CO2 consumption (10 – 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
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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 Valle-
Aguilera model, which are based on the CO2 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 of VCO in SC-CO2 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-CO2 and performing a self-consistency test with
the method of Méndez-Santiago and Teja.
Description
Keywords
Coconut oil , cooking