Effects of Process Parameters on the Yield of Oil from Coconut Fruit

Analysis of the properties of coconut (Cocos nucifera)
and its oil was evaluated in this work using standard analytical
techniques. The analyses carried out include proximate composition
of the fruit, extraction of oil from the fruit using different process
parameters and physicochemical analysis of the extracted oil. The
results showed the percentage (%) moisture, crude lipid, crude
protein, ash and carbohydrate content of the coconut as 7.59, 55.15,
5.65, 7.35 and 19.51 respectively. The oil from the coconut fruit was
odourless and yellowish liquid at room temperature (30oC). The
treatment combinations used (leaching time, leaching temperature
and solute: solvent ratio) showed significant differences (P<0.05) in
the yield of oil from coconut flour. The oil yield ranged between
36.25%-49.83%. Lipid indices of the coconut oil indicated the acid
value (AV) as 10.05Na0H/g of oil, free fatty acid (FFA) as 5.03%,
saponification values (SV) as 183.26mgKOH-1g of oil, iodine value
(IV) as 81.00 I2/g of oil, peroxide value (PV) as 5.00 ml/ g of oil and
viscosity (V) as 0.002. A standard statistical package minitab version
16.0 program was used in the regression analysis and analysis of
variance (ANOVA). The statistical software mentioned above was
also used to generate various plots such as single effect plot,
interactions effect plot and contour plot. The response or yield of oil
from the coconut flour was used to develop a mathematical model
that correlates the yield to the process variables studied. The
maximum conditions obtained that gave the highest yield of coconut
oil were leaching time of 2hrs, leaching temperature of 50oC and
solute/solvent ratio of 0.05g/ml.

• Ndidi F. Amulu
• Godian O. Mbah
• Maxwel I. Onyiah
• Callistus N. Ude

• Coconut
• oil-extraction
• optimization
• physicochemical
• proximate.

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