Optimization of supercritical carbon dioxide extraction of oil from fig fruit (ficus carica L.) seeds using response surface methodology

Response surface methodology (RSM) was employed to optimize the process parameters of supercritical carbon dioxide(SC-CO2) extraction of the fig seed oil(FSO). The adequacy of the model equation for predicting the optimum response values was verified effectively by the validation. Effects of temperature, pressure and time on yield of FSO were investigated. Maximum yield of FSO from the mathematical model was predicted to be 25.95% dry basis under the condition of temperature 44.7°C and pressure 29.0 MPa with extraction time 85.1 min. GC-MS analysis showed that fatty acids in the oil were composed of 26.50% saturated fatty acids and 73.50% unsaturated fatty acids. Furthermore, oleic acid (51.41%), palmitic acid (19.45%) and palmitoleic acid (14.76%) were the main fatty acids in the FSO.