Coupling Microwave-Assisted Drying and Supercritical Carbon Dioxide Extraction for Coconut Oil Processing

Abstract

Supercritical carbon dioxide extraction was applied to the processing of virgin coconut oil (VCNO), which has been known to possess several functions such as antimicrobial properties as proven by many medical doctors and clinical researchers. Prior to extraction, the sample was dried using microwave-assisted low-temperature air drying method. Using these techniques, an oil recovery of 95% was obtained at 40°C and 20MPa at a processing time of less than 20h. This is more efficient than the conventional cold-press method which has a normal oil recovery of about 30 to 50 % at a longer processing time of 48 to 72h. The obtained oil has physical and chemical properties that are almost identical to or better than the commercial VCNO, thus deemed to possess the same antimicrobial and nutritional properties. The effects of extraction conditions were also investigated for optimization analyses.