Extraction of safflower seed oil using various solvents and its physicochemical properties for use in functional and dietary food applications
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31989/ffs.v5i10.1767Abstract
Methods: Safflower oil was extracted using a semi-automatic Soxhlet extractor and three solvents: hexane, diethyl ether, and petroleum ether. Key factors influencing extraction efficiency were studied, including extraction temperature, particle size of the ground raw materials, and extraction duration. The resulting oil samples were evaluated for their physicochemical characteristics, including moisture content, acid value, peroxide value, and fatty acid composition—with particular attention to polyunsaturated fatty acids, which are essential for functional food formulations.
Results: Among the tested solvents, diethyl ether yielded the highest oil extraction rate at 39.5%, making it the most effective option. The optimal conditions were an extraction temperature of 55 °C, raw material particle size of 1100 μm, and extraction time of 50 minutes. The oil extracted with diethyl ether demonstrated excellent quality: a high iodine value (145 g I₂/100 g), confirming a high content of unsaturated fatty acids; a low acid value (2.88 mg KOH/g), indicating minimal free fatty acids; and a peroxide value (~2.5 mol O₂/kg) suggesting high oxidative stability. The extracted safflower oil was particularly rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids, primarily linoleic acid (C18:2), comprising 63.1 g/100 g, which enhances its nutritional value and makes it highly suitable for use in functional food products and dietary nutrition.
Conclusion: The scientific novelty of this study lies in the quantitative optimization of safflower oil extraction parameters using a rotatable Box design, which enables a systematic evaluation of how temperature, particle size, and extraction time affect both oil yield and quality. The innovative aspect of this work is the process intensification achieved through statistical optimization, resulting in enhanced efficiency and reproducibility of the extraction process. Furthermore, the validation of key physicochemical and nutritional quality markers—such as iodine value, peroxide value, and linoleic acid content—provides a practical framework for assessing the functional and health relevance of safflower oil. These findings support the development of functional food ingredients with improved stability and nutritional performance.
Keywords: Safflower oil, Safflower seeds, Extraction, Solvents, Optimization, Physicochemical properties, Fatty acid composition.
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