Extraction of oil from fluted pumpkin seed (Telfairiaoccidentalis) by solvent extraction method.

Abstract

Fluted pumpkin seeds (Telfairia Occidentalis) contain valuable edible oil. A study of oil extraction from the seed was conducted using a 3 x 4 factorial experiment in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD). Fluted pumpkin seed pods were procured from National Horticultural Research Institute (NIHORT), Ibadan, Nigeria. Some of the major equipment used were: laboratory test sieve (RO-TAP: ASTME11, AASHTOM92, HUMBOLDT, standard sieve) and digital weighing balance (OHAUS 3001, accuracy: 0.001).Three different solvents with four levels (100%, 80%, 60% and 40%) and three replicates were used. The solvent used were petroleum ether, n-hexane and methanol. AOAC (2002) standard was used for quality analysis of oil. Data obtained for oil yield, extraction efficiency, extraction loss, acid value, iodine value, saponification value, peroxide value, refractive index and viscosity were analyzed using (ANOVA) at (P ≤ 0.05). The values obtained for oil yield, extraction efficiency, extraction loss, acidic value, peroxide value, iodine value, saponification value, refractive index and viscosity at 100% levels were 16.446%, 79.9%, 2.857%, 3.16Mg/KOH/g, 0.84Meq/g, 103.2Mg/I/g, 154.2Mg/KOH/g, 1.4323, 1.88cm/s respectively for petroleum ether, 20.185%, 96.7%, 4.153%, 4.20Mg/KOH/g, 0.79Meq/g, 104.4Mg/I/g, 147.3Mg/KOH/g, 1.4235, 1.92cm/s for n-hexane and 8.994%, 43.8%, 2.571%, 14.10Mg/KOH/g, 0.90Meq/g, 92.6Mg/I/g, 87.4Mg/KOH/g, 1.3987, 1.60cm/s for methanol. The results obtained showed that all the solvents used performed better at 100% level; and the lower the level of solvents the lower the output parameters in terms of oil yield, extraction efficiency, extraction loss and oil qualities(acid value, iodine value, saponification value, peroxide value, refractive index and viscosity).