Multicomponent phase equilibria of an extra-virgin olive oil in supercritical carbon dioxide

The possibility of using supercritical carbon dioxide to deacidify olive oils without modifying their triglycerides composition has been previously studied. For the design of this extraction process, multicomponent equilibrium data are needed. We have therefore measured the vapor-liquid equilibria of a commercial olive oil in supercritical carbon dioxide at temperatures between 313-353 K and pressures up to 30 MPa. The initial free fatty acid content (expressed in oleic acid) was changed from 3 to 15 wt %. This data was later used to simulate a countercurrent packed column for the deacidification of olive oil, by using a staged-equilibrium model program. Some of the calculated results were compared with previously obtained experimental mass transfer data.