Plasma bubbling effect on essential oil yield, extraction efficiency, and flavor compound of Cuminum cyminum L. seeds

Plasma bubbling at solid-liquid mixture is a non-thermal technology for spice processing to retain its flavors and fragrances. Cumin is a regularly consumed spice with significant medicinal properties and has 2-5% essential oil that imparts the characteristic aroma to the seeds. Plasma bubbling influence at a different voltage (175, 180, and 185 V), exposure time (30, 60, and 90 min), and particle size (whole and 0.5 mm) on the essential oil yield and its subsequent effect on flavor compounds were estimated. Increase of voltage to 185 V and bubbling time to 90 min, cumin essential oil yield and extraction efficiency raised from 2.42 to 3.22% and 55.89 to 74.36% for 0.5 mm size, 3.22 to 4% and 74.36 to 92.37% for whole seeds respectively compared to control. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis showed 21.27 and 31.48% enhancement in cuminaldehyde content after plasma bubbling compared to control of whole and 0.5 mm seeds, respectively. Practical applications An approach to optimize non-thermal plasma bubbling process parameters for improving Cuminum cyminum L. essential oil extraction by retaining its flavor compound (Cuminaldehyde) was performed in the present study. Plasma bubbling assisted hydrodistillation method is easy, cost-effective, and also retains flavor compound in essential oil. The data obtained are valuable to scale up a batch scale plasma bubbling process extraction of cumin essential oil to a large or pilot-scale system since the results showed a rise in essential oil extraction yield and improvement in cuminaldehyde content.

Automated summary

The study optimized the non-thermal plasma bubbling process parameters to improve the extraction of Cuminum cyminum L. essential oil by retaining its flavor compound (Cuminaldehyde), showing an increase in essential oil yield and enhancement in cuminaldehyde content.