Extraction optimization of Brazil nut pie oil using ethanol and varied operacional conditions

• Grant number: 24/12978-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Start date: October 01, 2024
• End date: November 30, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Food Science and Technology - Food Engineering
• Principal Investigator: Eduardo Augusto Caldas Batista
• Grantee: Ericsem Pereira
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Engenharia de Alimentos (FEA). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 22/10368-4 - Strengthening the Brazil nut value chain: an approach focused on the Vale do Amanhecer Farmers Cooperative (Juruena/MT), AP.R

Abstract

Currently, Brazil nut oil is extracted by the Cooperativa dos Agricultores do Vale do Amanhecer (COOPAVAN/Juruena/MT) by pressing, generating a cake byproduct rich in oil. This remaining oil can be extracted using solvent extraction processes, increasing profitability and the possibility of developing new products. Although hexane extraction processes are widely studied and used industrially, the present case requires the use of solvents that bring greater sustainable and environmental safety, such as ethanol (KUMAR, et al., 2017). Taking this into consideration, this project aims to evaluate and optimize the solid-liquid extraction of oil from Brazil nut cake byproduct using ethanol solvent. Purposely, computational and experimental tools will be used in synergy. Computational tools, such as the one developed by Sampaio Neto et al. (2022), will be implemented and applied to help optimize the solid-liquid extraction process using ethanol as a renewable and sustainable solvent. Solid-liquid extraction experiments of vegetable oil from the Brazil nut cake will be carried out to study parameters and operational configurations that influence the process, in addition to providing data for the aforementioned computational simulations.