Yield and quality parameters of pretreated crambe seed oil extracted using C3H8, CO2 and C3H8+CO2 mixtures under pressurized conditions

Abstract In this study, the effect of the pretreatment of crambe seeds on the yield and quality of the oil extracted with pressurized propane, CO2 and propane+CO2 mixtures was investigated. The use of different process conditions and solvent mixtures was evaluated. The pretreatments applied were thermal treatment (TT), thermal treatment after immersion in water (TTI) and thermal treatment after application of steam (TTS). The TTI and TTS provided oil with greater oxidative stability for extractions with propane and propane + CO2. This may be related to a higher concentration of active compounds in the oil, mainly tocopherols, since this variable was strongly correlated (0.92) with the oxidative stability according to the principal component analysis. The increasing amount of CO2 to 60 wt% in the mixture provided higher yields up to 34.84% at lower pressures. Also, at 40 °C, 100 bar and 55 wt% CO2, a similar yield was obtained in 60 min, requiring ~24 wt% less propane in relation to extraction with this pure solvent.