Influence of Microwave Treatment of Rapeseed on Minor Components Content and Oxidative Stability of Oil

Rapeseeds were adjusted to moisture contents of 9, 11, 13, and 15 % and treated with microwaves under 800 W for 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 min at a frequency of 2,450 MHz and oil was extracted with a press to investigate possibility of enhancing oil extraction yield by press, minor component content, and oxidative stability of the pressed oil. The results indicated that microwave pretreatment of rapeseed could increase the oil extraction yield, and both microwave time and initial moisture content of rapeseed had significant effects on the oil extraction yield (p < 0.001). Total tocopherol content in the oil extracted by press first increased and then decreased depending on the period of microwave radiation (p < 0.001), and the initial moisture content had no significant effect on the tocopherol content (p > 0.05). Phytosterol and polyphenol contents increased with increasing microwave time and with decreasing initial moisture content of rapeseeds (p < 0.001). An F test revealed there were significant interactions between the effects of microwave time and initial moisture content on both polyphenol content and oil extraction yield. The oxidative stability of oil were improved with increasing microwave time and decreasing initial moisture content (p < 0.001), and there were significant positive correlations with total polyphenol and phytosterol contents. Therefore, it is advisable to treat rapeseeds with low initial moisture content by microwaves prior to oil extraction by press because it results in a relatively good oil extraction yield by cold press, with a high amount of phenolic, tocopherol, and phytosterol. Microwave pretreatment had a positive effect on oxidative oil stability in comparison to the untreated oil.