Wolfberry seed oil is a valuable compound extracted from the seeds of the wolfberry plant, which is native to China. It has various applications in the cosmetic and medical industries due to its high nutritive and antioxidant contents. Supercritical CO2 fluid extraction is a promising method for obtaining high-quality wolfberry seed oil. This article explores the effectiveness of supercritical CO2 fluid extraction for wolfberry seed oil.
How Supercritical CO2 Fluid Extraction Works
Supercritical CO2 fluid extraction is a method for obtaining essential oils and other compounds from natural sources. In this method, CO2 is pressurized above its critical point and then used to extract the desired compounds from the plant material. The high-density fluid can easily penetrate into small spaces and extract the oil with high selectivity.
Supercritical CO2 fluid extraction is a safer and more environmentally friendly alternative to traditional solvent-based extraction methods. It produces a pure extract with fewer solvent residues, making it ideal for the extraction of valuable compounds such as wolfberry seed oil.
Experimental Results
To investigate the effectiveness of supercritical CO2 fluid extraction for wolfberry seed oil, a series of experiments were performed. The extraction parameters, including pressure, temperature, and time, were optimized using a central composite design (CCD). The yield and quality of the extracted oil were evaluated, including the fatty acid composition, tocopherol content, and antioxidant activity.
The optimal conditions for supercritical CO2 fluid extraction were determined to be 30 MPa pressure, 50°C temperature, and 2 hours of extraction time. The extracted oil yield was 17.12%, and the fatty acid composition was found to be mainly composed of linoleic acid (58.9%) and oleic acid (21.1%). The oil extracted under optimal conditions was found to have a high tocopherol content and antioxidant activity, essential for its medical and cosmetic applications.
Comparison with Traditional Extraction Methods
Traditional extraction methods for wolfberry seed oil involve the use of solvent-based methods such as hexane and ethanol. These solvents are known to be harmful to the environment and human health, and the extracted oil may contain residual solvents. In addition, traditional extraction methods may extract unwanted compounds from the plant material, resulting in lower purity.
Supercritical CO2 fluid extraction is a safer and more selective alternative to traditional extraction methods. It produces a pure extract with fewer solvent residues and is more environmentally friendly. Moreover, the extracted oil has a high nutritive and antioxidant content, which is essential for its medical and cosmetic applications.
CO2 extraction process of wolfberry seed oil
- Pulverization degree:80 mesh
- Extraction pressure: 22 MPa
- Extraction temperature: 45°C
- Separation pressure I: 12 MPa
- Separation I temperature: 50°C
- Separation pressure II: 8 MPa
- Separation II temperature: 40°C
- Extraction time: 90 min
Wolfberry
Wolfberry is a precious traditional Chinese medicinal material in our country.
It is a plant with the same medicine and food. Traditional pharmacology believes that Lycium barbarum nourishes yin, nourishes the kidney, improves eyesight, and strengthens the body.
Components of Wolfberry
Modern scientific analysis of the main components of wolfberry are: Lycium barbarum polysaccharides, carotenoids, betaine , Fatty acids, amino acids, trace elements, etc. Its pharmacological effects are manifested in its immunity to human body, anti-aging, anti-tumor, lowering blood pressure, lowering blood sugar, etc.
Wolfberry seed
Wolfberry seed is the essence of medlar. The medlar seed oil extracted from medlar seeds by modern science and technology is the essence of the essence.
Wolfberry seed oil
Wolfberry seed oil contains about 18% of oil. Wolfberry seed oil contains a variety of fatty acids, many trace elements and biologically active ingredients.
Wolfberry seed oil contains 68.3% linoleic acid, 19.1% oleic acid and 3.1% γ-linolenic acid. Vitamin E 27mg/100g, β-carotene 170mg/100g, phospholipid 0.25%, and contains a variety of trace elements and biologically active substances epidermal growth factor, SOD, etc.
How to use wolfberry seed oil:
The wolfberry seed oil produced by the supercritical CO2 extraction method has been tested, and its unsaturated fatty acid content is up to 90%, especially the content of linoleic acid is up to 68.3%.
Compared with several well-known health care vegetable oils currently respected at home and abroad , Can be among the optimization. It has a certain effect on the prevention and auxiliary treatment of heart disease, arteriosclerosis, obesity, diabetes, hypertension, etc. It is an ideal functional health oil for middle-aged and elderly people.
At the same time, pregnant women and babies should increase their intake of vegetable oils high in linoleic acid, which is beneficial to the development of the baby’s brain and heart, as well as the growth and development of tissue cells.
Because wolfberry seed oil contains a lot of unsaturated fatty acids and biologically active substances-superoxide dismutase (SOD) is also a good natural vegetable oil cosmetics.
Conclusion
Supercritical CO2 fluid extraction is a promising method for obtaining high-quality wolfberry seed oil. The optimal conditions for extraction were determined to be 30 MPa pressure, 50°C temperature, and 2 hours of extraction time. The obtained oil had a high yield and a significant fatty acid composition, tocopherol content, and antioxidant activity. Supercritical CO2 fluid extraction is a safer and more selective alternative to traditional extraction methods, making it ideal for the extraction of valuable compounds from natural sources.
Comparison of Supercritical CO2 Fluid Extraction vs Traditional Extraction Methods
| Extraction Method | Effectiveness | Environmental Impact | Selectivity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Supercritical CO2 Fluid Extraction | Highly Effective | Environmentally friendly | More Selective |
| Traditional Extraction Methods | Variable Effectiveness | Harmful to Environment and Health | Less Selective |
Benefits of Supercritical CO2 Fluid Extraction for Wolfberry Seed Oil
- High selectivity for extracting valuable compounds such as wolfberry seed oil
- Safer and more environmentally friendly alternative to traditional extraction methods
- Produces a pure extract with fewer solvent residues
- High nutritive and antioxidant content, essential for medical and cosmetic applications
- Can be optimized using the central composite design method for improved yield and quality.
In conclusion, supercritical CO2 fluid extraction is a promising method for obtaining high-quality wolfberry seed oil. It offers several advantages over traditional extraction methods, including higher selectivity, improved environmental impact, and a pure extract with fewer solvent residues. The method can potentially be used in various industries for the extraction of valuable compounds from natural sources.