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ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #105210
Title: EFFECT OF PROCESSING CONDITIONS ON MEADOWFOAM PRESS OIL PROPERTIES

Author
item Holser, Ronald
item Isbell, Terry

Submitted to: Journal of the American Oil Chemists' Society
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/26/2002
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Meadowfoam is a new crop that produces an oil used in personal care products. The physical and chemical properties of meadowfoam oil change as impurities are removed from the crude oil. Removing some of the impurities from the oil improve certain oil properties, such as color, but also reduce other desirable properties of the oil, such as chemical stability. We identified conditions that could remove some impurities from crude oil while preserving desirable oil properties. This information could result in improved oil properties and extend the current applications of meadowfoam oil.

Technical Abstract: Oil obtained from meadowfoam (Limanthes alba) seed exhibits high oxidative stability and is advantageously used in specialty chemical and lubricant formulations. The oxidative stability of the oil is influenced by processing conditions associated with oil recovery and refining operations. The oxidative stability index (OSI) was measured on samples of crude, water degummed, caustic refined, bleached, and deodorized laboratory press oil. These fractions were also analyzed for oxidation products. Holding meadowfoam seed at 120 C and 12% moisture for 40 min prior to flaking and pressing produced a crude oil with average OSI values exceeding 40 h (measured at 130 C). Seed flaked and pressed without this conditioning treatment produced a crude oil with an average OSI value of 26.6 h (measured at 130 C ). Laboratory processing of the crude oil from the conditioned seed exhibited a decrease in OSI times of 27% following degumming and an additional 20% after caustic refining. Conditioned seed flaked to a thickness of 0.6-0.7 mm produced crude press oil with a Lovibond color (2.54 cm) of 70Y, 2.6R while similarly flaked but uncooked seed produced crude press oil with a Lovibond color (2.54 cm) of 70Y, 3.6R.