Pressurized liquid extraction with ethanol in an intermittent process for rice bran oil: Evaluation of process variables on the content of β-sitosterol and phenolic compounds, antioxidant capacity, acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activity, and oil quality

Rice bran is rich in lipids and normally contains the enzyme lipase, which degrades these lipids, making the oil unsuitable for consumption. This study analyzed a sustainable technique for extracting rice bran oil using ethanol as a solvent and compared this with traditional methods that use petroleum-derived solvents that are considered unsustainable and harmful to health. The pressurized liquid extraction (PLE) of this oil in an intermittent process showed yields between 24.83% and 27.22%, which is higher than those reported in the literature due to polar compounds in the extracted oils. The oil's acidity ranged from 2.79% to 3.22%, and the oxidative stability ranged from 0.04 h to 0.16 h. The levels of beta-Sitosterol, phenolic compounds, acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitory activity, and antioxidant capacity were also evaluated. The results suggest that the PLE in an intermittent process can be a sustainable and effective alternative for the extraction of rice bran oil using ethanol as a solvent, providing satisfactory yields and preserving the quality of the oil.