PRODUCTION OF REFINED CAROTENE-RICH PALM OIL FROM PALM MESOCARP (ELAEIS GUINEENSIS) USING SUPERCRITICAL CARBON DIOXIDE

ABSTRACT

Simultaneous extraction, degumming and deacidification of palm oil directly from palm mesocarp using supercritical carbon dioxide (SC-CO₂) were carried out. The temperatures and pressures used were 40–80C and 18–30 MPa, respectively. The degummed and deacidified palm oil produced from the process meets the specifications of refined, bleached and deodorized palm oil of Malaysian standard, with added value in its carotene content . The recovery of the refined palm oil was 52.8–74.0% based on the total hexane extractable material. Other palm minor components such as vitamin E, phytosterols and squalene were preserved in the refined SC-CO₂-extracted carotene-rich palm oil. The solubility of triacylglycerols (TGs), distribution coefficient of free fatty acids (FFAs) and the separation factor of FFAs and TGs of palm oil in SC-CO₂ are discussed.

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS

The study provides an alternative processing method for palm oil extraction and refining industries. The same principles could be applied to oilseed processing such as soybean and rapeseed oils. The separation factors of free fatty acids (FFAs)/triacylglycerols and the distribution coefficient of FFAs are useful data for process modeling. The extractability and extraction patterns of palm minor components in the mesocarp provide an insight for the recovery of these valuable functional components from palm oil.