Microwave-Assisted vs. Conventional Extraction of Moringa oleifera Seed Oil: Process Optimization and Efficiency Comparison

This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of microwave-assisted and conventional extraction using ethanol, hexane, and petroleum ether as solvents, and to optimize the process for extracting oil from Lam. seeds, with a focus on improving food-grade oil production. Response surface methodology (R...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Foods Vol. 13; no. 19; p. 3141
Main Authors: Souza, Danivia Endi Santana, Melo, Jéssica Jessi Carvalho de, Santos, Fernanda Franca Dos, Vasconcelos, Ana Luíza Dos Santos, Jesus, Adriana Dos Santos de, Freitas, Lisiane Dos Santos, Souza, Ranyere Lucena de, Soares, Cleide Mara Faria
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 01-10-2024
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Summary:This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of microwave-assisted and conventional extraction using ethanol, hexane, and petroleum ether as solvents, and to optimize the process for extracting oil from Lam. seeds, with a focus on improving food-grade oil production. Response surface methodology (RSM) was applied to enhance the extraction process of the oil. Central composite rotational design (CCRD) was used to analyze the impact of solid-liquid ratio (x ), power (x ), and temperature (x ) on oil yield. The optimization identified the optimal conditions as a solid/liquid ratio of 1:38, power of 175 W, and temperature of 50 °C, achieving a 42% oil yield. Notably, the microwave-assisted extraction reduced the processing time from 8 h (using conventional Soxhlet extraction) to just 1 h. Conventional extraction with hexane and petroleum ether was also performed for comparison, resulting in similar oil content and fatty acid profiles, predominantly, oleic acid. FTIR analysis confirmed that the microwave-extracted oil contained fatty acids and had similar characteristics to the conventionally extracted oil. Thus, the use of ethanol as a green solvent in the microwave has shown significant improvement in terms of time and energy savings compared to the Soxhlet method with toxic solvents. This study concludes that microwave-assisted extraction with ethanol provides a more energy efficient, environmentally friendly, and time-saving alternative for food-grade oil production, aligning with advancements in food engineering and production.
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ISSN:2304-8158
2304-8158
DOI:10.3390/foods13193141