Effect of supercritical carbon dioxide conditions on extraction of food phytochemical constituents from Moringa oleifera. Lam seed kernels

Supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) has shown a great potential for the extraction and isolation of phytochemicals from various food samples as it minimizes sample handling, provides fairly clean Process extracts, SC-CO₂ is the fluid most commonly used in SFE with several advantages. Supercritical fluid extraction was carried out at selected SC-CO₂ pressures (100, 150 and 200 bar) and temperatures (40, 50 and 60°C). The concentrations of food phyto-chemicals viz., total phenols, total flavonoids, total carotenoids, total sterols and total tocopherols from Moringa oleifera. Lam seed kernels were found to be 41.82 to 44.71 mg GAE/g, 14.82 to 18.25 mg RE/g, 15.45 to 17.06 ppm, 892.05 to 984.17 ppm, 80.27 to 92.26 ppm were highest at 200 bar pressure and 50°C temperature. All of these parameters were significantly (p<0.01) affected by SC-CO₂ conditions. With increasing in pressure from 100 to 200 bar, the extraction of phyto-chemicals increased, in case of temperature up to 50°C phyto-chemicals extraction increased, further increasing in temperature from 50 to 60°C there will be a decrees in phyto-chemical concentration. Extraction yield of phyto-chemical constituents found 35.26% in a SFE, which is more than the conventional soxhlet extraction technique (17.12%). Therefore, phyto-chemical constituents present in the Moringa oleifera. Lam seed kernels could be efficiently extracted by using SC-CO₂ with standardized process conditions.