REFINEMENT OF TECHNOLOGY FOR EXTRACTION AND UTILIZATION OF APRICOT KERNEL OIL AND PRESS CAKE
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Date
2013
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ABSTRACT
Technology for mechanical separation of apricot kernels, improvement in oil extraction and utilization of volatile oil from press cake for control of plant pathogens was evaluated and refined. Out of different rolling surfaces, the use of 22.5o inclination angle on rubberized belt was found optimum for separation of kernels in mechanical separator. The size parameters of apricot kernels after soaking increased. Geometric dimensions such as length (12.0 mm), breadth (9.0 mm), thickness (6.0 mm), geometric mean diameter (8.6 mm) and sphericity (72.0 %) of apricot kernels was recorded to increase to 12.6 mm, 9.4 mm, 7.0 mm, 9.4 mm and 74.6 per cent respectively after soaking treatment. Besides, soaking of stones or decorticated stone mass brought about significant improvement in separation of kernels through mechanical separator with 78.6 per cent separation efficiency. Steaming of kernels at 5 psi for 15 min after addition of 10 % water brought about significant improvement in oil yield extracted through Table oil expeller. Further, the quality characteristics of oil from steamed kernels ranging between 2.27-2.77 mg KOH/g acid value; 100.21-100.63 g I2/100g iodine value; 5.12-5.27 meq/kg peroxide value and saponification value 189.67191.73mg KOH/g oil, were found within the specification as laid under Food Safety and Standard Act for almond oil. Besides, steaming of kernels caused complete removal of residual HCN from extracted oil and left over press cake. The oil also contained 272.0-277.0 µg/g vitamin E, which is regarded as natural antioxidant and make the oil suitable for cosmetic and pharmaceutical purpose. The oil was found rich in unsaturated fatty acid containing oleic (61.93-64.16 % w/w) and linoleic (25.66-27.71 % w/w) as the major fatty acid, fractions with only 8.61 to 8.87 per cent saturated fatty acids. The press cake left after oil extraction was found suitable for the extraction of volatile oil for various purposes. For extraction of volatile oil, the method consisting of maceration of press cake in water (1:10) at 50 oC for 12 hrs followed by extraction of 1 % distillate and re-distillation of distillate in 3 % each of CaO and FeSO4 followed by collection of 50 % of volatile oil with 29.8 % benzaldehyde was optimized. The volatile oil possessed good anti-fungal properties against some plant pathogenic fungi like Fusarium sp, Sclerotium sp and Macrophomina sp. At 15 % volatile oil concentration, 100 % mycelial growth inhibition was recorded in all the three fungi. Therefore, anti-fungal property of volatile oil of apricot kernel press cake could be a potential source of new natural anti-fungal agent against plant diseases caused by Fusarium sp, Sclerotium sp and Macrophomina sp. Thus, complete technology for mechanical separation of kernels, steaming of kernels for oil extraction and hydro-distillation of volatile oil from press cake can be adopted at commercial scale for utilization of apricot stones by the entrepreneurs.
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apricot kernels,mechanical separation