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ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #78516
Title: EXTRACTION OF OIL FROM MEADOWFOAM FLAKES

Author
item Phillips, Bliss
item Isbell, Terry
item CARLSON, KENNETH - RETIRED ARS

Submitted to: Annual Meeting and Expo of the American Oil Chemists' Society
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/3/1998
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: This study was undertaken to examine the effect of seed moisture, seed temperature and flake thickness on meadowfoam oil extraction efficiency. Flakes were prepared with a Wolf Mill (two horizontal 12-in. diam. rolls) using roll openings of 0.005, 0.013 and 0.020 in., which gave average flake thicknesses of 0.013, 0.021, and 0.031 in. Seed moistures (9, 12, 15%) and seed temperatures (190, 210 F) were chosen as appropriate for enzyme inactivation during cooking of the seed prior to flaking. For comparison, seed was also cold flaked (65 F) at the respective moistures. Extractible oil contents of the resulting flakes were compared to total extractible oil content (31.6%). Flake thickness was the dominant parameter affecting oil extraction efficiency. The thinnest flakes (0.013 in.) were slightly less extractible (29.8%) than finely ground flakes. Intermediate (0.021 in.) and thick (0.031 in.) flakes were significantly less extractible (28.0% and 26.0%, respectively). There appeared to be a trend toward slightly thicker flakes with increasing seed moisture during flaking, and no observable trend with temperature. Neither flaking moisture nor temperature significantly impacted extractible oil content of the flakes. We conclude that meadowfoam flakes must be under 0.020 in. thickness, preferably thinner, for efficient oil removal during solvent extraction, and that temperature and moisture conditions necessary for efficient enzyme inactivation do not impact oil removal.