Deacidification of Coconut Oil Using Different Resins: A Comparative Study

In the food sector, deacidification of vegetable oil is essential for enhancing edible oil's stability, quality, and shelf life. It is still difficult to come up with an efficient deacidification method that makes use of high-acid-value oil to produce edible goods that are both high-quality and value-added. The present work provides a newly developed, adaptable, and long-lasting ion exchange deacidification method. Three different ion exchange resins, that is, Amberlite IRA 400 (AMT), Amberlyst A₂₆ (A₂₆), and Dowex WGR-2 (DOX) at different concentrations were assessed to remove free fatty acids (FFAs) by adsorption using a column, where AMT (85.92%) and A₂₆ (98.02%) showed a good result compared to DOX (75.4%). To further confirm the reduction in the acid value of the treated oil, multiple methods were used, including FFA measurement by titration, gas chromatography (GC), high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and attenuated total reflectance Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR). All these methods consistently demonstrated a reduction in FFA levels in the oil collected after treatment with resin. Additionally, to assess the effect of the resin on the oil, various physicochemical parameters were analyzed. It was found that most of the tocopherols and tocotrienols were preserved, and there was little to no impact on other key quality parameters.

Practical Applications: Our study offers valuable insights into the development of a deacidification technology for removing FFAs from oil using resins. This environment-friendly method effectively tackles the challenge of high acidity in oils by efficiently adsorbing FFAs. The use of resins provides an efficient solution while retaining the nutritional properties of the oil, making it an appealing alternative to traditional methods. This technology holds significant potential for industrial applications, such as improving the quality and shelf life of edible oils by removing FFA, as well as reducing waste during alkali treatment. Implementing this technique can help promote better practices in the oil processing industry.