Oxidation Rates of Triacylglycerol and Ethyl Ester Fish Oils

Fish oil is available primarily as triacylglycerols (TAG) or ethyl esters (EE). Anecdotal evidence suggests that TAG have superior bioavailability and oxidative stability compared to EE. In this work, peroxide value (PV) and p‐anisidine value (AV) were used to monitor oxidation in commercially available TAG and EE fish oils incubated at temperatures from 5 to 60 °C. Pseudo first‐order kinetics were assumed and rate constants were calculated for each temperature. At all temperatures, the rates of oxidation were higher for EE oils than TAG oils. For PV and AV measured in both oils, non‐linear Arrhenius models were plotted, generating activation energies that ranged from 7 to 103 and 2 to 159 kJ/mol for PV and AV, respectively. Although TAG were more resistant to oxidation than EE, they had lower activation energies (E_a) at ≤15 °C for reactions measured with PV and AV. The E_a for EE was negative at temperatures ≥45 °C, indicating that reaction rate was influenced by factors in addition to temperature.     

Degradation and Nutritional Quality Changes of Oil During Frying

The changes in regular canola oil as affected by frying temperature were studied. French fries were fried intermittently in canola oil that was heated for 7 h daily over seven consecutive days. Thermo-oxidative alterations of the oil heated at 185 ± 5 or 215 ± 5 °C were measured by total polar components (TPC), anisidine value (AV), color components formation, and changes in fatty acid composition and tocopherols. Results showed that TPC, AV, color and trans fatty acid content increased significantly (P < 0.05) as a function of frying temperature and time. The oil polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) decreased in direct proportion to frying temperature and time. After 7 days of frying, the amount of PUFA was reduced by half and the trans isomers contribution increased 2.5 times during frying at 215 °C. Of the parameters assessed, total polar component and color had the highest correlation, with correlation coefficients of 0.9650 and 0.9302 for frying at 215 and 185 °C, respectively. TPC formation correlated inversely with the reduction of tocopherols.     

Yield and Quality Characteristics of Rendered Chicken Oil for Biodiesel Production

Whole dead poultry birds obtained from commercial layer farms were assessed for fat in the whole carcass and then dry rendered in three different rendering regimens T₁, T₂ and T₃ (temperature = 120, 130 and 140 °C and shell pressure = 1, 2 and 3 kg/cm² respectively) and the effect on the yield and quality of the rendered chicken oil were studied. The overall fat percentage of the whole dead poultry carcass was 14.55 ± 0.17 % and the fat content of ‘greaves’ was 14.49 ± 0.38 %. In the dry batch rendering trials, the mean overall fat recovery was 24.46 ± 1.19, 26.78 ± 3.14 and 22.42 ± 2.32 % and the overall fat yield was 3.52 ± 1.72, 3.84 ± 0.44 and 3.22 ± 0.33 % of the carcass weight in T₁, T₂ and T₃ respectively. Solvent extraction of fat could recover 96.10 ± 0.14 % of fat from ‘greaves’ which was significantly higher than the mechanical centrifugation method. Among the quality characteristics of the rendered chicken oil (RCO), moisture content ranged from 0.61 % (T₂) to 1.09 % (T₁) and the mean specific gravity was 0.91 at 30 °C. The FFA values of RCO obtained from the T₃ rendering regimen were significantly (p < 0.05) higher than the FFA values of T₂ and T₁. The mean acid value, iodine number, peroxide value, saponification value and unsaponifiable matter present in RCO showed no significant difference. The fatty acid profile and calorific values were studied. The RCO was converted to biodiesel by transesterification and the physico-chemical properties of the biodiesel were studied and compared with the Indian biodiesel specification.     

Phytonutrient content and oil quality of selected edible oils upon twelve months storage

Edible oils contain naturally occurring phytonutrients and therefore exhibit numerous beneficial health effects. However, the phytonutrients tend to degrade in different extent with storage duration and temperature. In this study, the impact of storage conditions on the stability of phytonutrients, including vitamin E, carotenoid, phytosterols and squalene, and oil quality, including free fatty acids (FFA), peroxide value (PV), anisidine value (AV), and oxidative stability index (OSI) of red palm-pressed mesocarp olein, palm olein, extra virgin olive oil, and sunflower oil were investigated. The oils were stored in three conditions, 23°C (with light and without light) and 35°C (without light). Results showed that the retention percentages of phytonutrients where in the range of 0%–100% for vitamin E, 51.24%–83.63% for carotenoid, 83.40%–100% for phytosterols and 27.94%–100% for squalene. Pearson correlation analysis between phytonutrients and oil quality of oils in different storage conditions showed that correlation coefficient values (r) were in the range of −1 to 0 for FFA, −1 to 0.22 for PV, −1 to 0.33 for AV, and −0.23 to 1 for OSI, implying that correlations between both variables are not in same direction. Degradation studies of phytonutrients using zero-order kinetic model where optimum-case conditions exhibited highest half-life (t_1/2) among the three conditions. In conclusion, storage conditions and synergistic effect affected the phytonutrients stability in the oils and oil quality in different extent. In general, storage at ambient temperature and dark condition contributed to the best phytonutrients retention and oil quality.     

Effect of tocopherols on the frying stability of regular and modified canola oils

A study was conducted to compare the relationship between frying stability and levels and degradation rates of tocopherols in regular and three modified canola oils. Oils were heated at 175 ± 2°C for a total of 72 h, with french fries fried intermittently. Frying stability was compared based on the rates of formation of free fatty acids (FFA) and total polar compounds (TPC). Significant differences (P<0.05) were identified between oils using analysis of covariance and t-tests for multiple comparisons. No significant differences were observed in the rates of FFA formation among the canola oils during frying. Nevertheless, regular canola (RCO) and high-oleic, low-linolenic acid canola (HOLLCO) oils produced less FFA compared to higholeic LLCO and HOCO both had significantly (P<0.05) faster rates of TPC formation compared to HOLLCO or RCO. HOLLCO with the highest level of tocopherols (893 mg/kg) exhibited a slow rate of degradation which accounted for a halflife of 48–60 h of frying. RCO, with a lower level of tocopherols (565 mg/kg), however, had the slowest degradation rate with a half-liofe of >72 h. In contrast, HOCO and LLCO with 601 and 468 mg/kg tocopherols, respectively, both exhibited a half-life for tocopherols of 3–6 h of frying. An inverse relatioship was observed between TPC formation and the reduction of tocopherol. Thus, the greater frying stability of RCO and HOLLCO appears to be affected far more by the rate of tocopherol degradation than by any changes in fatty acid composition.     

Quality Assessment of Heated Cooking Oil,Agab, Using a Simple Newly-Developed Spectrophotometric Method

Deep fat frying is one of the most widely used cooking practices but heat treatment produces many degradation products, some of which may cause health hazards. A simple, rapid, and inexpensive method for assessment of the quality of cooking oil used for frying was developed using a spectrophotometer. Potato slices were heated in Agab oil (soybean/sunflower:1/l volume) at 180 ± 5 °C for 8 h per day for 6 consecutive days. Heated samples were collected at 15-min intervals and UV absorbance at λ = 370–400 nm was measured; samples were also analyzed for anisidine value (AV), conjugated diene formation (CD), and total polar compounds (TPC). A systematic increase of absorbance in heated oil over frying time was observed. TPC was highest (R ² = 0.99) for the correlation with heating time followed by CD (0.93) and AV (0.89). The spectrophotometric method developed in the present study to assess the quality of heated oils is simple, quick, and reliable because its results were strongly correlated with the results from the TPC.     

Extraction and Characterization of Montmorency Sour Cherry (Prunus cerasus L.) Pit Oil

Montmorency sour cherry (Prunus cerasus L.) pit oil (CPO) was extracted and characterized by various methods including: GC, LC–MS, NMR, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and X‐ray powder diffraction (XRD). The oil gave an acid value of 1.45 mg KOH/g, saponification value of 193 mg KOH/g and unsaponifiable matter content of 0.72 %. The oil contained oleic (O) and linoleic (l ) acids as the major components with small concentrations of α‐eleostearic acid (El, 9Z,11E,13E‐octadecatrienoic acid) and saturated fatty acid palmitic (P) acid. The CPO contained six major triacyglycerols (TAG), OOO (16.83 %), OLO (16.64 %), LLO (13.20 %), OLP (7.25 %), OOP (6.49 %) and LElL (6.16 %) plus a number of other minor TAG. The TAG containing at least one saturated fatty acid constitute 33 % of the total. The polymorphic behavior of CPO as studied by DSC and XRD confirmed the presence of α, β′ and β crystal forms. The oxidative induction time of CPO was 30.3 min at 130 °C and the thermal decomposition temperature was 352 °C.     

Evolution of Oxidative Values during Kinetic Studies on Olive Oil Oxidation in the Rancimat Test

A comparative study was carried out in order to evaluate the kinetics of the formation of a number of primary and secondary oxidation products during oxidation of olive oil in the Rancimat test at 100–130 °C. There were good correlations between the Rancimat index (OSI) and stability indices (IP) measured in the Rancimat test with no significant differences in kinetic parameters calculated from them. Mean values of the temperature coefficient, Q₁₀ number, activation energy (E_a), frequency factor (A), and free energy of activation (ΔG⁺⁺) for olive oil oxidation were calculated to be ?3.44 × 10^?2°C^?1, 2.21, 98.91 kJ/mol, 12.17 × 10¹² h^?1, and 128.25 kJ/mol, respectively. Each unit change in E_a was accompanied by an average 1.43 × 10¹² change in A, indicating a higher contribution for factor A than for E_a to the olive oil stability. The E_a and A correlated well with the values of enthalpy and entropy, respectively. The values of OSI or IP could be described well by the ΔG⁺⁺ values. Kinetic data indicated that olive oil stability is more affected by the indigenous antioxidants than by the fatty acid composition.     

Impact of Microwave Assisted Infusion on the Quality and Volatile Composition of Olive Oil Aromatized with Rosemary Leaves

Olive oil with rosemary leaves by microwave assisted infusion (MAI) as an alternative to conventional infusion (CI) was evaluated. Microwave heating was applied to the mixture in order to accelerate diffusion of the rosemary volatile compounds into the olive oil. The volatile components of the aromatized oils were quantified by HS‐SPME/GC–MS, as well as several quality indexes such as free fatty acids (FFA), peroxide value (PV), specific coefficients of extinction, chlorophyll and carotenoid content, and color assessment. Fatty acid profiles of the oils aromatized by MAI were compared to those produced by CI. Results showed that the infusion time is reduced from 12 h to 10 min when utilizing MAI in place of CI. MAI treatment caused a slight increase in FFA levels, and specific extinction coefficient indices (K₂₃₂ and K₂₇₀). PV during MAI remained unchanged for the first 3 min, after which there was an observable increase. All physico‐chemical values were found to be well below the maximum permitted limits. The MAI treatment reduced chlorophyll and carotenoid levels during the final step of aromatization, thus affecting final color. The MAI aromatized oil was characterized by its clear green color (L*, a*, b* parameters). Fatty acid analysis showed that MAI slightly changed the fatty acid composition of the olive oil. This study indicates that MAI appears to be a viable and rapid method to flavor olive oil with rosemary leaves.     

Determination of free fatty acids in crude palm oil and refined-bleached-deodorized palm olein using fourier transform infrared spectroscopy

A rapid direct Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopic method using a 100 μ BaF₂ transmission cell was developed for the determination of free fatty acid (FFA) in crude palm oil (CPO) and refined-bleached-deodorized (RBD) palm olein, covering an analytical range of 3.0–6.5% and 0.07–0.6% FFA, respectively. The samples were prepared by hydrolyzing oil with enzyme in an incubator. The optimal calibration models were constructed based on partial least squares (PLS) analysis using the FTIR carboxyl region (C=O) from 1722 to 1690 cm⁻¹. The resulting PLS calibrations were linear over the range tested. The standard errors of calibration (SEC) obtained were 0.08% FFA for CPO with correlation coefficient (R ²) of 0.992 and 0.01% FFA for RBD palm olein with R ² of 0.994. The standard errors of performance (SEP) were 0.04% FFA for CPO with R ² of 0.998 and 0.006% FFA for RBD palm olein with R ² of 0.998, respectively. In terms of reproducibility (r) and accuracy (a), both FTIR and chemical methods showed comparable results. Because of its simpler and more rapid analysis, which is less than 2 min per sample, as well as the minimum use of solvents and labor, FTIR has an advantage over the wet chemical method.     

Kinetics of commercial olive oil oxidation: Dynamic differential scanning calorimetry and Rancimat studies

Four samples of olive oil were oxidized under polythermal (dynamic) conditions in the cell of a normal‐pressure differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) and in the Metrohm Rancimat apparatus. The DSC experiments were carried out in an oxygen flow atmosphere using different linearly programmed heating rates in the range of 4–20 °C/min. Through DSC exotherms, the extrapolated onset temperatures were determined and used for the assessment of the thermal‐oxidative stabilities of the samples. Using the Ozawa‐Flynn‐Wall method and the Arrhenius equation, the activation energies (E_a), pre‐exponential factors (Z) and reaction rate constants (k) for oil oxidation under DSC conditions were calculated. The Rancimat measurements of oxidation induction times were carried out under isothermal conditions in an air atmosphere at temperatures from 100 to 140 °C with intervals of 10 °C. Using the Arrhenius‐type correlation between the inverse of the induction times and the absolute temperature of the measurements, E_a, Z, and k for oil oxidation under Rancimat conditions were calculated. The primary kinetic parameters derived from both methods were qualitatively consistent and they help to evaluate the oxidative stabilities of oils at increased temperatures.     

Effect of Specific Oil Surface Area on the Thermal Stressing of Rapeseed Oil During Heating in an Electric Frying Pan

The effect of specific oil surface (SOS) during pan frying of rapeseed oil on its thermal stability and antioxidant capacity (AC) was evaluated. Rapeseed oils with different oil layer heights (OLH = 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, and 2.5 cm) were heated on an electric frying pan coated with Teflon at 180 ± 10 °C until a selected end point of 25 % total polar compounds (TPC) was reached. The changes of chemical parameters of oil samples such as peroxide value, p‐anisidine value, Totox value, free fatty acids, TPC and AC using the 2,2‐diphenyl‐1‐picrylhydrazyl assay were determined. Irrespective of the applied methods, the highest changes in oil with OLH = 0.5 cm were observed. Heating in low OLH also led to the fastest time of TPC formation in rapeseed oil; the 0.5‐cm layer reached 25 % TPC in a relatively short time (71.5 min) compared to the highest OLH = 2.5 cm (t = 315.1 min). The SOS and the rate of change in the heated oils decreased with increasing OLH. Crucial effects of SOS on physicochemical oil changes were observed. The present study demonstrated the protective effect of increasing the OLH on the quality of the heated rapeseed oils.     

Oxidation kinetics in olive oil triacylglycerols under accelerated shelf‐life testing (25–75 °C)

A kinetic study of the autoxidation reaction in olive oil triacylglycerols stored in darkness at different temperatures (25, 40, 50, 60 and 75 °C), in absence of pro‐ and antioxidant compounds to avoid confounding effects, is described. After the induction period (IP) the decrease in the oxidizing substrate and the formation of primary oxidation products followed a pseudo‐zero‐order kinetic, and the calculated E_a from the Arrhenius equation for the formation of hydroperoxides was 32.1 kJ·mol^?1. The formation of secondary oxidation products followed a pseudo‐first‐order kinetic whose rate reaction constant also increased exponentially with temperature. The first oxidation index to exceed the upper limit in the EU regulations was PV, followed by K₂₃₂ and K₂₇₀. The time required reaching these limits and the rancidity threshold showed a potential dependence on temperature, and therefore with accelerated storage at 75 °C, POO shelf‐life in ambient conditions (25 °C) can be predicted. Finally, there was a good linear relationship between the time required to reach the rancidity threshold and the IP of the formation of the 2,4‐decadienal, and hence this instrumental determination could be useful to measure sensory recognition of the rancid defect in POO.     

Kinetic study of ethyl octyl ether formation from ethanol and 1‐octanol on Amberlyst 70

An option to introduce bioethanol to diesel, improving at the same time its fuel quality, is by adding ethyl octyl ether (EOE). It can be obtained successfully by the dehydration reaction between ethanol and 1‐octanol over acidic ion‐exchange resins. In the present work, the kinetic study of EOE synthesis on Amberlyst 70 in the liquid phase is performed in a 20‐cm³ fixed‐bed reactor and in a 100‐cm³ batch reactor at 423–463 K and 2.5 MPa. EOE synthesis takes place together with diethyl ether (DEE) formation as main side reaction. A mechanistic kinetic model in terms of component activities is proposed for EOE synthesis (E_a=105 ± 4 kJ/mol) and for DEE formation (E_a =100 ± 5 kJ/mol). Reaction rates were highly inhibited by the adsorption of the formed water on Amberlyst 70. The inhibitor effect of water is well represented as a competitive adsorption with alcohols reactants on the catalysts surface. © 2014 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 60: 2918–2928, 2014     

Refining of rice bran oil by neutralization with calcium hydroxide

The applicability of calcium hydroxide (lime) in the neutralization of rice bran oil (RBO) was investigated. Crude RBO samples of three different free fatty acids (FFAs) (3.5–8.4 wt%) were degummed, dewaxed, bleached, and neutralized with lime and deodorized. The oils obtained thus were characterized by determining the color, peroxide value (PV), content of unsaponifiable matter (UM), and FFA. Conventionally practiced caustic soda neutralization (at 80–90°C) of FFA has in the present investigation been replaced by a high temperature (150–210°C) low pressure (2–4 mm Hg) reaction with lime. It was observed that neutralization with Ca(OH)₂ at high temperature (210°C) and under low pressure (2–4 mm Hg pressure) may substantially reduce the FFA content (0.8 wt%, after 2 h). The deodorized oil was found to be of acceptable color, PV, and content of UM and FFA. Neutralization of oil was also carried out by using NaHCO₃ and Na₂CO₃, nonconventional alkalies for neutralization, and the results were compared with NaOH and Ca(OH)₂. Overall recovery of oil in Ca(OH)₂ refining process (88.5 ± 0.6 wt%, for Sample 1 containing 8.4%‐wt FFA) was found to be more than other competitive processes studied.     

Aerobic Liquor Washing Improves the Quality of Crude Palm Oil by Reducing Free Fatty Acids and Chloride Contents

The presence of free fatty acids (FFA) and chloride contents in crude palm oil is not desirable because they have an impact on oil quality and food safety. This work presents a method to reduce these compounds by washing the crude palm oil (CPO) with treated aerobic liquor (AL). The effects of process parameters on the reduction of FFA and chloride in CPO and the resultant 3-monochloropropane-1,2 diol ester (3-MCPDE) formed after refining are investigated. The results show that the AL dosage, initial FFA content, mixing speed, and duration have significant influence on the reduction of FFA in the CPO. Meanwhile, the chloride content is reduced by approximately 50% regardless of the AL dosage used. Consequently, the 3-MCPDE content in the oil after refining is up to 53% lower than that of the refined oil produced from the untreated CPO. Furthermore, an oil recovery above 97% can be achieved after the AL-washing step. The implementation strategy of this method in the palm oil mills has also been proposed. In conclusion, an effective and sustainable method for in situ improvements of the quality and food safety of palm oil has been developed without the need for additional water or chemical. Practical Applications: Treated aerobic liquor can be used to wash the CPO in palm oil mill for in situ reductions of FFA and chloride contents in CPO to improve the oxidative stability of CPO. The lower content of chlorides in CPO could mitigate the formation of 3-MCPDE during refining, thus improving the food safety of palm oil. This method can readily be implemented by the industry and it is sustainable because it does not require the use of additional process water or chemical.     

A Kinetic-Thermodynamic Study of the Effect of the Cultivar/Total Phenols on the Oxidative Stability of Olive Oils

Physicochemical parameters, total phenols contents (TPC), and oxidative stabilities at 120–160 °C were evaluated for two monovarietal (Arbequina and Cobrançosa cultivars, cvs.) and one blend extra-virgin olive oil, confirming the label quality grade and allowing grouping them according to the different TPC (TPC = 88 ± 7, 112 ± 6 and 144 ± 4 mg CAE/kg, for cv. Arbequina, blend and cv. Cobrançosa oils, respectively). The lipid oxidation rate increased with the decrease of the TPC, being Cobrançosa oils (higher TPC) more thermally stable. Kinetic-thermodynamic parameters were determined using the activated complex/transition-state theory and the values did not significantly differ for Cobrançosa and blend oils, which had the highest TPC, suggesting a hypothetically threshold saturation of the beneficial effect. Cobrançosa oils had a significant more negative temperature coefficient, higher temperature acceleration factor, greater activation energy and frequency factor, higher positive enthalpy of activation, lower negative entropy of activation, and greater positive Gibbs free energy of activation, probably due to the higher TPC. The results confirmed that lipid oxidation was a nonspontaneous, endothermic, and endergonic process with activated formed complexes structurally more ordered than the reactants. A negative deviation from the Arrhenius behavior was observed for all oils being the super-Arrhenius behavior more marked for Arbequina oils that had the lowest TPC. Finally, the kinetic-thermodynamic parameters allowed classifying oils according to the binomial olive cultivar/total phenols level, being the temperature acceleration factor and the Gibbs free energy of activation at 160 °C the most powerful discriminating parameters.     

Plasma Modified Membrane for Daily Recovery of Oil from Repeated Frying Operation with Frequent Oil Replenishment

Sunflower oil was used for deep frying of potatoes at 170 ± 5 °C and for 8 h per day for 5 days in a fryer with an automatic oil filtration system. Three different frying operations were performed: operation (OP)-1, OP-2 and OP-3; that correspond to the oil unfiltered at the end of each frying day, the oil filtered through the fryer's own filter (passive filtration) and the oil firstly subjected to passive filtration and then filtered through a polyethersulfone membrane modified with hexamethyldisiloxane via radio frequency plasma (75 W-5 min, discharge power–time), respectively. The performance of each operation was investigated in terms of free fatty acids (FFA), conjugated dienoic acids (CD), TOTOX value, total polar content (TPC), Hunter color, viscosity, fatty acid composition, and tocopherol content. The results showed that OP-3 could decrease FFA, CD, TOTOX, TPC, L*a*b* value, viscosity and linoleic acid (18:2)/palmitic acid (16:0) ratio in 29.6, 11.7, 25, 30.8, 6.1*11.3*20.8*, 7.8, 12.2 %, respectively, compared to the unfiltered oil (OP-1). Regenerated oil from OP-3 had a frying life approximately 17 h more than oils from both OP-1 and OP-2.     

Modeling the Primary Oxidation in Commercial Fish Oil Preparations

The quality of commercial fish oil products can be difficult to maintain because of the rapid lipid oxidation attributable to the high number of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), specifically eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). While it is known that oxidation in fish oil is generally the result of a direct interaction with oxygen and fatty acid radicals, there are very few studies that investigate the oxidation kinetics of fish oil supplements. This study uses hydroperoxides, a primary oxidation product, to model the oxidation kinetics of two commercially available fish oil supplements with different EPA and DHA contents. Pseudo first order kinetics were assumed, and rate constants were determined for temperatures between 4 and 60 °C. This data was fit to the Arrhenius model, and activation energies (E _a) were determined for each sample. Both E _a agreed with values found in the literature, with the lower PUFA sample having a lower E _a. The oil with a lower PUFA content fit the first-order kinetics model at temperatures ≥20 °C and ≤40 °C, while the higher PUFA oil demonstrated first-order kinetics at temperatures ≥4 °C and ≤40 °C. When the temperature was raised to 60 °C, the model no longer applied. This indicates that accelerated testing of fish oil should be conducted at temperatures ≤40 °C.     

Antioxidant Activity and Total Polyphenols Content of Camellia Oil Extracted by Optimized Supercritical Carbon Dioxide

In this study, Camellia oil is co-extracted from Camellia oleifera seeds and green tea scraps by supercritical carbon dioxide (SC-CO₂), which is optimized on the extraction yield, ABTS-scavenging activity, and total polyphenols content (TPC) of oil by single-factor experiments combined with response surface methodology (RSM). The extraction temperature, pressure, dynamic time, carbon dioxide (CO₂) flow rate, and seed mass ratio were investigated with single-factor experiments. The results indicated the optimum CO₂ flow rate and dynamic extraction time were 15 L hour⁻¹ and 60 min (i.e., 2.382 kg CO₂/100 g sample). Furthermore, the complicated effects of extraction temperature (40–50 °C), pressure (20–30 MPa), and seed mass ratio (0.25–0.75) were optimized by RSM based on the Box–Behnken design (BBD). The models with high R-squared values were obtained and used to predict the optimum operating conditions of the process. Under the optimum operating conditions (i.e., temperature of 46 °C, pressure of 30 MPa, and seed mass ratio of 0.35), the extraction yield, ABTS-scavenging activity, and TPC of oil were 14.43 ± 0.17 g/100 g sample, 73.70 ± 0.34%, and 2.18 ± 0.05 mg GAE/g oil, which were in good agreement with the predicted values. In addition, the experiments indicated that the Camellia oil obtained was rich in polyphenols, resulting in better oxidation stability and antioxidant activity than the original oil.