Supercritical carbon dioxide extraction of oil from Mexican chia seed (Salvia hispanica L.): Characterization and process optimization

Supercritical carbon dioxide (SC-CO2) was employed to extract oil rich in omega-3 fatty acids (FAs) from chia seeds, and the physicochemical properties of the oil were determined. A central composite rotatable design was used to analyze the impact of temperature (40 °C, 60 °C and 80 °C), pressure (250 bar, 350 bar and 450 bar) and time (60 min, 150 min and 240 min) on oil extraction yield, and a response surface methodology (RSM) was applied. The extraction time and pressure had the greatest effects on oil. The highest oil yield was 92.8% after 300 min of extraction time at 450 bar. The FA composition varied depending on operating conditions but had a high content of α-linolenic acid (44.4–63.4%) and linoleic acid (19.6–35.0%). The rheological evaluation of the oils indicated a Newtonian behavior. The viscosity of the oil decreased with the increase in temperature following an Arrhenius-type relationship.