A twin-screw extruder for oil extraction: II. Alcohol extraction of oleic sunflower seeds

Our work is about the extraction of sunflower seed oil in a twin-screw extruder with or without the injection of 2-ethylhexanol and acidified 2-ethylhexanol. 2-Ethylhexanol is mixed with phosphoric acid. The oil recovery is increased to 90% by the co-injection of acidified alcohol. Mixing phosphoric acid with the alcohol enhances the lability of the oily spherosomes. Its addition increases the destruction of the membranes enveloping the lipid-containing organelles to release the oil more easily. Phosphoric acid exhibits an extracting and a degumming role. The best oil quality was obtained at a low extraction temperature (80°C), when 88% of the oil was removed. After alcoholic distillation, the oil exhibited a total acid value (mineral acidity plus organic acidity) of 4 mg KOH/g of oil and an organic phosphorus content below 30 ppm. This work was presented as an oral communication at the 2nd American Oil Chemists’ Society Europe Symposium, October 1–4, 1998, at Cagliari, Italy.