Supercritical CO2 extraction of favela (Cnidoscolus quercifolius) seed oil: Yield, composition, antioxidant activity, and mathematical modeling

Cnidoscolus quercifolius seeds were subjected to oil extraction with supercritical CO2 at 40, 50, and 60 degrees C and 20, 25, and 30 MPa for 120 min at 5 g min(-1). The oils obtained were evaluated from the viewpoint of their yield, composition, and antioxidant activity; they were compared with the oil obtained using the conventional Soxhlet extraction method with n-hexane. Sovovas' mathematical model was used to adjust the kinetic curves. The highest oil yield (41.0 wt%) was obtained at 60 degrees C and 30 MPa and corresponded to similar to 87% of the Soxhlet yield. In this condition, the highest yields of tocopherols and beta-sitosterol were obtained, i.e., 8.87 and 51.6 mg 100 g(seed)(-1), respectively. The oils extracted by both the methods showed a similar fatty acid composition with a predominance of linoleic acid (similar to 60%). The highest antioxidant activity was equivalent to 6.82 mmol of trolox per kg of oil. (C) 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.