Carotenoids and antioxidant activity in virgin palm oil (VPO) produced from palm mesocarp with low heat aqueous-enzyme extraction techniques

Abstract

Palm oil is known for its vitamin E as well as other phytonutrients including carotenoids, phytosterols, and phenolic compounds. Red palm oil also known as the virgin palm oil (VPO) has the potential for nutraceutical application as well as for household use as it contains an abundance amount of phytonutrients with many functional properties. The objective of the study was to measure the oil recovery and phytonutrients content of VPO produced by the low-heat enzyme-assisted aqueous extraction (EAAE) method and to compare with the non-enzyme treated mesocarp. Pectinase from Aspergillus niger was used as the enzyme treatment in the EAAE method. The percentage of oil yield, total phenolic content, antioxidant activity and total carotenoids were evaluated. The effects of different enzyme concentration on the phytonutrients were also determined. The percentage of oil yield from the enzyme-treated mesocarp is significantly higher (52.7% v/w) than the non-enzyme treated oil (26.11% v/w). The carotenoid content in the EAAE extracted VPO obtained is between 35 and 40 mg/100 g sample. The carotenoids and the total phenolic content between the EAAE and non EAAE extracted oil are not significantly different, however, the antioxidant activity of EAAE extracted oil is significantly higher at 21% than the non-enzyme treated oil. The enzyme concentration at 4.5% was found to increase the oil yield by 200%. The study showed that the EAAE method can increase the oil yield as well as the antioxidant activity of VPO. Thus, the enzyme assisted-aqueous extraction method can be used to produce a high-quality VPO with high oil recovery and high antioxidant activity.