Temperature mediated extraction of oil from safflower seeds: modelling and optimization of extraction parameters by response surface methodology approach

Abstract

Safflower seed oil reveals well known therapeutic values. Response surface methodology (RSM), an effective statistical tool was used to study the enhancement of its oil percentage. A central composite design was applied to evaluate effects of four independent parameters like seed amount, reaction time, volume of hexane and temperature on oil extraction from its seeds. Oil percentage has been estimated as 22.76%, 21.73% and 25.1% respectively after thermal pretreatment for 10, 20 and 30\xa0min. The optimized parameters were obtained as 3\xa0g for the amount of seeds, 30\xa0min for extraction process, 30\xa0ml for volume of hexane and 45\xa0°C temperature after applying RSM. The predicted oil percentage was obtained as 31.968% by second order polynomial equation while the estimated oil percentage was 50.12% for the optimum parameters. The oil percentage has been enhanced almost two times by using RSM. Statistically, the optimization of extraction parameters for the maximum oil recovery may add a positive value in the safflower crop with world economy.