Effect of cold plasma processing on physicochemical characteristics and thermal properties of palm oil

Abstract

In this study, the atmospheric cold plasma treatment is carried out at two different powers of 50 and 60 W for two different exposure durations of 30 and 45 min. The treatment had not resulted in a significant difference between the control and plasma-treated samples in values like saponification value, triacylglycerol value, acid value, and free fatty acid value. While there was about a 3% increase in the melting point from 34.1 ± 0.17 °C to 35.23 ± 0.25 °C after 60 W of treatment for 45 min, there was around a 0.9% increase after 50 W of treatment for 30 min. The peroxide value and anisidine value started increasing slowly immediately after cold plasma treatment but still, the values were within the range. There was a significant decrease in the iodine value (56.31 ± 0.26 g of I2/100 g of oil to 51.56 ± 0.01 g of I2/100 g of oil) due to the cold plasma treatment. The TOTOX value which represents the oxidative stability of the palm oil had increased from 12.77 ± 0.93 for the control sample to the maximum value of 16.38 ± 0.28 which was for the 60 W power treatment for 45 min.

Keywords

• Cold plasma
• Palm oil
• Lipid oxidation
• Fatty acid profile
• Oxidative stability