An investivation of the extraction, refining and composition of oil from winged bean (Psophocarpus tetragonolobus[L.] D.C.)

Abstract

Eleven winged bean accessions from Thailand were analyzed. Oil content ranged between 15 and 18%. Oleic and linoleic acids were the major fatty acids (62.5–64.5%) together with behenic (12.6–14.4%) and lignoceric acid (2.4–2.8%). Linolenic acid level was low and traces of 15-, 17- and 21-carbon acids (saturated and unsaturated) were found. No parinaric acid was detected. Campesterol, stigmasterol and β-sitosterol were the principal components of the unsaponifiable fraction. The extracted oil had a very low free fatty acid (FFA) content but was not completely liquid below 35 C. The refining of crude winged bean oil is reported. Oil produced by expeller had a strong, beany aroma but a negligible level of gums and a low level of FFA. Degumming and neutralizing were unnecessary; bleaching produced an attractive colored oil free from beany aroma. Crude solvent-extracted oils from whole and decorticated winged beans had appreciable contents of gums and higher FFA contents than expeller-produced oil. Laboratory refining demonstrated the strong interference on bleaching exerted by gums and FFA. Conventional refining by degumming, neutralizing, bleaching and deodorizing, and by physical refining produced high-quality oils having a good color, low FFA level and no taste or smell. The solid/liquid ratio of refined winged bean oil as a function of temperature was found to be unusual. Oil was extracted from whole and decorticated winged beans in a pilot solvent extraction plant designed to simulate a Rotocei. Winged bean flakes were not as mechanically strong as those from soybean but good oil extraction yields were obtained and a meal was produced having an oil content of less than 1% at 10% moisture. Whole winged beans were expelled in a small expeller (throughput 16.8 kg/hr). Cake was produced with a residual oil content of 3.3–5% in a single pass through the expeller.