Effect of Traditional Extraction Methods on the Physico-Chemical Properties and Sensory Attributes of Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L) Seed Oil

Abstract

Effect of traditional extraction methods on the physicochemical properties and sensory attributes of sunflower seed oil were investigated. The sunflower seed was sorted, cleaned with water and dehulled before drying. Thereafter, the dried seed was roasted, milled into powder and then subjected to warm and cold press extraction method. The results showed that extracted oil from roasted sunflower seeds using warm press had the highest percentage yield of 18.05% as compared to cold pressed method which had a yield of 7.66%. Density was in the range of 0.96 g/ml to 0.98g/ml, moisture content from 2.69% to 3.49%, pH value from 7.02 to 7.17, free fatty acid from 3.92g/100g of oil to 8.39g/100gof oil, saponification value from 37.65mg of KOH/g of oil to 496.04 mg of KOH/g of oil, peroxide value from 2.10 meq of O2/kg of oil to meq of O2/kg of oil, iodine value from 5.71 g/100g of oil to 5.83g/100g of oil. Appearance was in the range of 7.20 to 7.50, viscosity from 6.5 to 7.30, flavor from 6.30 to 6.95, taste from 6.45 to 6.9 and Overall acceptability from 6.8 to 7.50 for all the samples. The results of the lipid profile showed that values obtained ranged from 3.22 to 5.75 mg/100g, 4.24 to 6.57 mg/100g, 4.96 to 6.88 mg/100g, 17.35 to 23.52 mg/100g, 15.31 to 17.87 mg/100g, 17.22 to 23.09 mg/100g, l29.17 to 35.04 mg/100g, 19.86 to 25.11 mg/100g, and 5.51 to 20.42 mg/100g for capric, lauric, myristic, palmitic, stearic, oleic, linoleic, linolenic and arachidonic acids, respectively. There was significant (p<0.05) difference in all the parameters investigated among the samples. Oil extracted using warm press method was found to exhibit a better property in all the parameters investigated than the cold press extraction method.