Application of Enzymes in Sunflower Oil Extraction: Antioxidant Capacity and Lipophilic Bioactive Composition

Abstract

A 2 3 factorial design with center point in triplicate was used to evaluate the application of different enzymes in extraction of sunflower oil, comparing its quality with the oil obtained by conventional methods (solvent and pressing) in relation to antioxidant capacity, phytosterol and tocopherol contents, and fatty acid composition. Three enzymes were used; Pectinex Ultra SPL, Celluclast 1.5 L and Alcalase 2.4 L; and three factors were evaluated: enzyme concentration, sample/water ratio and extraction time. Enzymatic aqueous extraction produced oil with better quality in relation to some of the evaluated parameters: highest antioxidant capacity against peroxyl radicals (371 µmol Trolox g −1 of oil), total phytosterols (183 mg 100 g −1 of oil) and omega-3 fatty acid content, as well the lowest content of saturated fatty acids. The application of enzymes in sunflower oil extraction represents an environmentally friendly methodology, free of toxic solvent residues and providing a final product of high quality.

Sunflower oil from enzymatic aqueous extraction process: Maximization of free oil yield and oil characterization

“…The oil content of the sunflower seeds, determined in a Soxhlet extractor with n ‐hexane as the solvent, was 57.23% ± 0.06. Latif and Anwar () and Ribeiro et al () reported oil values of 45.5 and 55.1%, respectively, in sunflower seeds extracted with n ‐hexane. Differences in the oil content of sunflower seeds are related to the regions in which the oilseeds were cultivated, because factors like the soil and climate affect the composition of the sunflower seeds (Castro & Leite, ).…”

“…Abdulkarim, Lai, Muhammad, Long, and Ghazali () verified the influence of temperature in the range of 45–60°C on the EAE of Moringa oleifera oil with the enzyme Celluclast 1.5 L and observed that the highest yield was obtained at 60°C. Sineiro et al () and Ribeiro et al () used Celluclast 1.5 L in the EAE of sunflower oil at 50°C, but the influence of temperature on the oil yield was not evaluated. Although the optimal temperature range of the enzyme Celluclast 1.5L is 50–60°C, most studies with this enzyme are conducted at 50°C.…”

“…Ribeiro et al () obtained 36.6% of sunflower free oil in the enzymatic extraction with a seed:water ratio of 1:6 (g/mL) at 55°C for a period of 8 h and with 10% (v/v) of each of the following enzymes: pectinase, cellulase, and protease. In the study reported herein, a yield of 17.76% was obtained, but only cellulase was used in the concentration of 1% (v/v) for 5 h. Cheng et al () investigated the parameters and inputs that influence the economic feasibility of the production of soybean oil extracted by the enzymatic aqueous process and concluded that the enzyme is the highest contributor (around 30%) to the cost of the inputs used.…”

“…Sunflower ( Helianthus annus L.) is an oleaginous plant that is widely cultivated due to its adaptability to different soils and climatic conditions (Castro & Leite, ; Latif & Anwar, ; Ribeiro et al, ). In 2017, world production was approximately 47 million tons, with the main producers being Ukraine, Russia, and Argentina (FAO, ).…”

“…The industrial extraction of vegetable oils is usually carried out by means of mechanical pressing and/or solvent extraction, the latter being more widely applied due to its high efficiency (around 95%) in the removal of oil (Cheng et al, ; Liu, Gasmalla, Li, & Yang, ). The most commonly used organic solvent is n ‐hexane, which has high volatility, toxicity, and flammability, so special handling is necessary along with waste treatment and appropriate disposal of this solvent after the extraction process (Baümler, Carrín, & Carelli, ; Kumar et al, ; Ribeiro et al, ). The quality of the oil can be compromised due to the high temperatures applied in the extraction with n ‐hexane and under these conditions, deterioration can occur through the oxidation of polyunsaturated fatty acids and the development of rancidity (Latif & Anwar, ; Ribeiro et al, ).…”