Green Extraction of Oil and Antioxidants from Canola Seed, and Functional Evaluation of Oil, Meal, Protein and Antioxidants from Novel Extraction in Comparison to Current Commercial Oil and Meal
Research Objective
- To develop unique extraction processes to produce high quality canola oil without organic solvents
- Develop optimum process to separate protein from canola meal for high quality food ingredients without harming the protein or leaving chemical residues
- To develop optimum technology to protect the nutritional quality and function of minor components (ie. antioxidants, vitamins, etc) in the whole process of oil extraction and protein separation
- To provide research training for highly qualified personnel so that they become tomorrow's canola industry leaders
- To develop pilot-scale factory verifications of promising pre-treatment and extraction processes
Project Description
There is growing concern about the environmental footprint of organic solvents (organic chemicals that vaporize at room temperature) which are used in canola oil extraction, meaning that alternative, environmentally-friendly technologies need to be found. This project examines a number of cutting-edge pre-processing techniques for oil liberation, and looks at two very promising non-organic solvent technologies – supercritical carbon dioxide extraction, and microemulsion extraction, which are more environmentally friendly. The multidisciplinary team of this project will evaluate if these different techniques makes a difference in process efficiency, oil and meal quality, with a particular focus on the healthful nature of these novel processing techniques. Workshops will be held in years 3 to 5, with emphasis on trainees interacting with personnel in the canola value chain to share research results. To demonstrate commercial potential, the most promising technique(s) will be scaled up in pilot plant facilities. These new technologies provide favorable environmental footprints and address possible consumer concerns with clean labels. In addition, there may be significant economic impact due to savings in chemical and energy costs, reduced processing time and improved end-use products from these advanced extraction processes.