Supercritical CO2 as a green technology for carotenoids-rich virgin palm oil production: Process optimization, kinetics and thermodynamics modeling

Abstract

The experimental conditions of supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO2) extraction of virgin palm oil (VPO) from oil palm mesocarp fiber (OPMF) were optimized using the Response Surface Methodology (RSM). Results showed that a maximum of 28.68 % of VPO extraction was obtained at the optimal experimental conditions of scCO2 extraction: pressure of 31 MPa, temperature of 340 K, and extraction time of 80 min. The second-order rate equation, Arrhenius equation and Eyring theory were employed to assess the kinetics behaviour, activation energy and thermodynamics behaviour of scCO2 extraction of VPO from oil palm mesocarp fiber. The lower activation energy value (12.17 kJ/mol) of scCO2 for the extraction of VPO from OPMF indicates that the scCO2 extraction technology is less dependent on temperature during the extraction of VPO from OPMF. The physicochemical properties and fatty acids compositions analyses reveal that the scCO2 extracted VPO contains high carotenoids content (982 μg/g), low free fatty acids content (0.31 wt%), higher oxidative stability and higher unsaturated fatty acids content.