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ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #124835
Title: PREPARATIVE SCALE SFE/SFC OF CORN BRAN

Author
item Taylor, Scott
item King, Jerry

Submitted to: Intl Symposium on Supercritical Fluid Chromatography and Extraction
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/22/2001
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Corn bran and corn fiber are obtained as byproducts from the dry- and wet-milling of corn, respectively. Both byproducts produce an oil that contains cholesterol-lowering phytosterol components. However, these components are at low levels in the predominately triglyceride-based oil and enrichment of these moieties would be desirable. We have previously reported on analytical-scale methodology of supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) coupled with supercritical fluid fractionation for the enrichment of these phytosterols using carbon dioxide and ethanol. In the present study, a preparative-scale procedure has been developed for the removal of the oil from corn bran and combined with on-line supercritical fluid chromatography (SFE) to obtain fractions enriched with the phytosterols. SFE was performed at 5,000 psi and 40C using 600 L of CO2. SFC was accomplished in three steps and then the sorbent bed was reconditioned. The first SFC step pwas conducted with neat CO2 to remove the majority of the triglycerides. The second step utilized CO2 and 10 mol percent ethanol for optimal phytosterol collection. The third fraction, CO2 and 15 mol percent ethanol eluted any remaining corn bran extract from the sorbent bed, preventing extract carry-over to subsequent SFE/SFC runs. SFC column reconditioning was performed to purge the column of any residual ethanol and corn bran oil components. Even on the scaled-up SFE/SFC runs, a fraction significantly enriched in phytosterols can be achieved.