Canola and Chilean hazelnut products obtained by enzyme-assisted cold-pressed oil extraction

Enzyme pretreatment in the cold-pressed oil extraction of meals with high oil content was studied for both edible and cosmetic oils. Canola and Chilean hazelnut oil extraction with enzymatic pretreatment has previously been shown to increase oil extraction yield. In this study, the effect of enzymatic pretreatment on oil and residual meal qualities is examined. Enzyme-assisted processing had little effect on quality, but significantly improved meal quality. Canola meal fiber content was reduced to a lower level than that reported for soybean meal, and protein availability was increased. Chilean hazelnut meal stability increased due to its low oil content, and fiber content was reduced by 50%. Economic aspects of the proposed technology were also analyzed. The enzymatic process showed a greater profitability for Chilean hazelnut oil than for canola oil due to its higher commercial value.