Application of Supercritical Carbon Dioxide in Agricultural Products Processing

George Gachumi
Final Dissertation Seminar
Extraction is indispensable for chemical processing and plays crucial role for both qualitative and quantitative analysis. Conventional extraction techniques employ the use of organic solvents which are known to be toxic, flammable, expensive, and have negative environmental impact. The use of alternate solvents that are safe, renewable, and produce high quality extract can be used to address these shortcomings. Supercritical carbon dioxide (SCO2) is generally regarded as safe (GRAS) and it has mild critical point values (73 atm, 31C) which are easily achievable. It is relatively inert, making it ideal for chemically and thermally labile compounds. It possesses dual characteristics i.e. dissolve like a liquid and diffuse like a gas, which are easily fine tuned by changing temperature and pressure values. Besides, carbon dioxide is ubiquitous, cheap, recyclable, and it leaves no residue on the extract. SCO2 utilization was explored in beeswax refinement from honey comb, slumgum, filter cake and cappings. Vital parameters on extraction efficiency; pressure, temperature, and time were investigated. Optimum extraction conditions were found to be 10,000 psi, 70C, and 30 min, with 1:1 ratio of wax to activated carbon for bleaching. Fatty acids, alcohols, and aliphatic hydrocarbons with carbon chain length of C16-C30, C24-C30, and C23C31 respectively were identified using GC-MS. Bleaching of corn distillers dried grain with solubles (DDGS) to produce upgraded food ingredient was also investigated. Pressure, temperature and time of 5000 psi, 50C, and 20 min respectively were found to be optimal. Using Hunters colorimeter, the residual DDGS color values of L*, a*, and b* were 81.47 0.28, 1.05 0.05, and 22.83 0.61 respectively while palmitic acid, stearic acid, oleic acid, and linoleic acid were the major fatty acids present in the extract.

Wednesday, April 23, 2014 SAV 378 12:00-1:00 pm