Extraction with Saponin Solutions and Supercritical Extraction, in the Removal of Cholesterol from Milk Fat Were Evaluated

• Grant number: 93/00622-6
• Support Opportunities: Research Projects - Thematic Grants
• Start date: February 01, 1994
• End date: April 30, 1997
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Chemical Engineering - Chemical Process Industries
• Principal Investigator: Theo Guenter Kieckbusch
• Grantee: Theo Guenter Kieckbusch
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Engenharia Química (FEQ). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant(s): 94/01962-8 - 1) phase behavior of asphaltenic crude oils. 2) wax precipitation from crude oils., AR.EXT

Abstract

In this work, the capacities of two different processes: extraction with saponin solutions and supercritical extraction, in the removal of cholestrol from milk fat were evaluated. The first process envolved contacting milk fat with saturated aqueous solutions containing Quilaja Saponin Molina, followed by adsorption on diat earth and phase separation. The extraction mechanism was found to be a micellar solubilization with the pH and saponin extraction solution being the parameters that had the biggest influence. The cholesterol content was reduced to 15% of its original value using a single extration stage and a pH=3.0 and 0,10 g/ml of a 13% os sapongenin extraction solution. The process is still being investigated in order to reduce the residual bitter taste as well the formed emulsion. In the second process investigated in this research, cholesterol removal and milk fat fractionation with supercritical carbon dioxide and supercritical ethane were investigated. The ethane was found to be the better supercrítical solvent. The adsorption process allowed the removal of practically all (98%) of the cholesterol in the supercritical extracts by selective adsorption on alumina and without interfering with the fractionation of milk fat. With the combined supercritical extraction/adsorption process, extraction can be carried out at high yield conditions with the cholesterol removal obtained by the selective adsorption on alumina. (AU)