Extraction of sunflower oil using liquid carbon dioxide.

Abstract

This study highlights generally the process of extraction of sunflower oil using liquid carbon dioxide. The available methods of sunflower oil extraction are associated with some problems; the mechanical pressing method involves a lot of drudgery and gives low oil recovery rates and the solvent method is associated with residual problem in the extracted oil and also leads to loss of some nutrients like free fatty acids, phospholipids, polyphenols and phytosterols, flavor and color (resulting in a pale-yellow), The supercritical carbon dioxide method gives moderate oil recovery rates, has less residence time and gives oil free from the solvent as carbon dioxide can be removed by just release of pressure. The oil was extracted from wen-conditioned milled sunflower seed powder using a semi continuous extraction column at condition of 343K and pressure 1.0MPa. The extraction method had an oil recovery rate of 43.4%. The results of my study will encourage the oil extracting industries to take up this new technology to replace the existing methods of oil extraction.