ULTRASOUND-ASSISTED EXTRACTION OF OIL FROM TEA SEEDS

Ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) of oil from tea seeds, and the effects of some operating parameters such as ultrasonic power, extraction time, extraction temperature and solvent to solid ratio on the yield of tea seed oil were investigated; some of the results were compared with those of the conventional method. It was found that UAE requires a shorter extraction time and a reduced solvent consumption. The yield of tea seed oil increased with the increase of the ultrasonic power and decreased as the temperature increased. The fatty acid compositions of the oils extracted by the ultrasound-assisted method and the conventional method were analyzed using gas chromatography. The result showed no significant affect on the compositions of the tea seed oil by the application of ultrasound. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS The ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) can enhance the extraction efficiency, facilitating solvent penetration into the plant material and allowing the intracellular product release. Ultrasound also agitates the solvent used for extraction, thus increasing the contact surface area between the solvent and the targeted compounds by permitting greater penetration of the solvent into the sample matrix. Therefore, UAE reduces extraction time as well as solvent consumption. In addition, UAE can be carried out at a lower temperature, thus avoiding thermal damage to the extracts and minimizing the loss of bioactive compounds. Therefore, it may serve as an effective method for extraction of oil from tea seeds.