Optimization of Oil and Tocopherol Extraction from Maqui (<i>Aristotelia chilensis</i> (Mol.) Stuntz) by Supercritical CO<sub>2</sub> Procedure
Camila Sánchez,
Alicia Rodríguez,
Francisca Reinoso,
Gretel Dovale-Rosabal,
Nalda Romero,
Alejandra Espinosa,
María Elsa Pando,
Benjamín Claria,
Rodrigo Valenzuela,
Cielo Char,
Santiago P. Aubourg
Affiliations
Camila Sánchez
Department of Food Science and Chemical Technology, Faculty of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Chile, Carlos Lorca Tobar 964, Santiago 8380494, Chile
Alicia Rodríguez
Department of Food Science and Chemical Technology, Faculty of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Chile, Carlos Lorca Tobar 964, Santiago 8380494, Chile
Francisca Reinoso
Department of Food Science and Chemical Technology, Faculty of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Chile, Carlos Lorca Tobar 964, Santiago 8380494, Chile
Gretel Dovale-Rosabal
Department of Food Science and Chemical Technology, Faculty of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Chile, Carlos Lorca Tobar 964, Santiago 8380494, Chile
Nalda Romero
Department of Food Science and Chemical Technology, Faculty of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Chile, Carlos Lorca Tobar 964, Santiago 8380494, Chile
Alejandra Espinosa
Department of Medical Technology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Chile, Independencia 1027, Santiago 8380000, Chile
María Elsa Pando
Department of Medical Technology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Chile, Independencia 1027, Santiago 8380000, Chile
Benjamín Claria
Department of Food Science and Chemical Technology, Faculty of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Chile, Carlos Lorca Tobar 964, Santiago 8380494, Chile
Rodrigo Valenzuela
Department of Medical Technology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Chile, Independencia 1027, Santiago 8380000, Chile
Cielo Char
Department of Food Science and Chemical Technology, Faculty of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Chile, Carlos Lorca Tobar 964, Santiago 8380494, Chile
Santiago P. Aubourg
Department of Food Technology, Marine Research Institute (CSIC), Eduardo Cabello 6, 36208 Vigo, Spain
This study focused on the oil extraction from freeze-dried maqui (Aristotelia chilensis) by supercritical fluid extraction with carbon dioxide (SFE-CO2). The basic objective was to optimize the oil yield and the tocopherol concentration. A Box/Behnken experimental design was developed with three processing variables: supercritical pressure (74, 187, and 300 bar), temperature (35, 48, and 60 °C), and extracting time (30, 135, and 240 min). Multiple optimizations, based on the combination of factor levels at 274 bar, 240 min, and 60 °C, led to the highest oil yield and tocopherol values. The validation of the optimized conditions of maqui oil extraction led to an oil yield of 8% and values of 735, 53, and 97 (mg·kg−1 oil) for α-tocopherol, α-tocotrienol, and γ-tocopherol, respectively. A higher concentration of tocopherol compounds was observed when compared to the employment of the conventional extracting method. The optimized SFE-CO2 method led to an oil extract exhibiting higher Hydrophilic-Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (H-ORAC) assay and total phenol content (22 μmol Trolox equivalents·g−1 oil and 28 mg gallic acid equivalents·g−1 oil) than the oil obtained by the conventional procedure. A practical and accurate oil extraction is proposed for obtaining tocopherol-enriched oil including high concentrations of valuable lipophilic antioxidants.