EFFECT OF ENZYMATIC AND ULTRASONIC TREATMENT ON EFFICIENCY OF AQUEOUS EXTRACTION OF OIL FROM DRUMSTICK “CHÙM NGÂY” (MORINGA OLEIFERA) SEEDS

Abstract

This study was carried out to assess the efficiency of the Ultrasound and Enzyme assisted aqueous extraction (U-EAAE) process in extracting oil from Drumstick (Moringa oleifera) seeds. Through this study, the effects of changes in processing parameters (such as enzyme concentration, incubation temperature and duration, ultrasonic temperature, and ultrasonic duration) on the oil yield were investigated to evaluate the efficiency of a combination of enzymatic and ultrasonic treatment. The enzymatic treatment employed 2% Alcalase 2.5L, with an incubation duration of 180 min at 50°C. While the ultrasonic treatment was performed at 50°C for 40 min. Under these optimal conditions, the highest oil yield was achieved (24.8%), demonstrating a significant improvement compared to the blank (aqueous extraction) yield of 10.8%, as well as the controls without enzyme (13.13%) and without ultrasound (15.40%). However, it was lower than that obtained by the Soxhlet method (35.68%). The oil extracted from Moringa oleifera seed by the U-EAAE method had a good quality with a low free fatty acid value (1.2%) and a low peroxide value (2.33 meqO2/kg). This oil also contained a higher total phenolic content (52.04 mg/100g extracts) than it presented in oil extracted by the Soxhlet method. This study offers more potential applications of Moringa oleifera and its seed oil for various industries, from food and nutrition to cosmetics and renewable energy.