Oil extraction from sheanut (Vitellaria paradoxa Gaertn C.F.) kernels assisted by microwaves

Shea butter, is highly solicited in cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, chocolates and biodiesel formulations. Microwave assisted extraction (MAE) of butter from sheanut kernels was carried using the Doehlert’s experimental design. Factors studied were microwave heating time, temperature and solvent/solute ratio while the responses were the quantity of oil extracted and the acid number. Second order models were established to describe the influence of experimental parameters on the responses studied. Under optimum MAE conditions of heating time 23 min, temperature 75 °C and solvent/solute ratio 4:1 more than 88 % of the oil with a free fatty acid (FFA) value less than 2, was extracted compared to the 10 h and solvent/solute ratio of 10:1 required for soxhlet extraction. Scanning electron microscopy was used to elucidate the effect of microwave heating on the kernels’ microstructure. Substantial reduction in extraction time and volumes of solvent used and oil of suitable quality are the main benefits derived from the MAE process

Microwave-assisted extraction of polysaccharides

In this chapter, the use of microwave irradiation has been reviewed and discussed for the extraction of polysaccharides as well as for combined processes involving extraction and hydrolysis of these compounds. Special attention has been paid to polysaccharides with bioactive properties. Fundamentals and instrumentation, together with a detailed discussion on the effect of the most important parameters affecting the microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) process, are presented. Some of the most recent and outstanding applications of MAE for the extraction of polysaccharides, mainly from food matrices or food by-products, are described and classified according to the type of polysaccharide extracted. The comparison in terms of speed, yield, etc. of MAE with other conventional (solid–liquid extraction) or emerging techniques (pressurized liquid extraction, ultrasound-assisted extraction) is also shown. The scale-up of MAE technique and the development of hybrid systems (e.g., ultrasonic–microwave-assisted extraction, UMAE) are shown as future trends. To conclude, MAE is shown as a promising emerging technique for extraction of polysaccharides from natural sources.This work has been funded by Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (project CTQ2012-32957), Junta de Andalucía (project AGR-7626), and Comunidad de Madrid (project Avansecal). L. Ruiz-Aceituno is supported by a JAE-Predoc grant from CSIC and cofinanced by the European Social Fund (ESF). A.C.S. thanks Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad of Spain for a Ramón y Cajal contract.Peer reviewe

Microwave assisted extraction of polysaccharide

In this chapter, the use of microwave irradiation has been reviewed and dicussed for the extraction of polysaccharides as well as for combined processes involving extraction and hydrolysis of these compounds. Special attention has been paid to polysaccharides with bioactive properties. Fundamentals and instrumentation, together with a detailed discussion on the effect of the most important parameters affecting the microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) process are presented. Some of the most recent and outstanding applications of MAE for the extraction of polysaccharides, mainly from food matrices or food byproducts, are described and classified according to the type of polysaccharide extracted. The comparison in terms of speed, yield, etc. of MAE with other conventional (solid-liquid extraction) or emerging techniques (pressurized liquid extraction, ultrasound-assisted extraction) is also shown. The scale-up of MAE technique and the development of hybrid systems (e.g. ultrasound-microwave-assisted extraction, UMAE) are presented as future trends. To conclude, MAE is presented as a promising emerging technique for extraction of polysaccharides from natural sources.Peer reviewe