Refined Avocado Oil Dehydration and Purification Process
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional refining processes for avocado oil fail to completely eliminate unstable and potentially toxic compounds like acetogenins and furan lipids, posing safety concerns for food and nutraceutical use, and do not guarantee the stability of the extracted oil.
Innovation Solution
A process involving controlled dehydration of avocados, followed by molecular distillation to separate triglyceride-rich fractions, and subsequent refining to produce a refined avocado oil with less than 100 ppm of acetogenins and 500 ppm of furan lipids, ensuring safety and stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional refining processes (degumming, neutralization, decolorization, refrigeration, deodorization) are used on avocado oil, then the oil can be processed efficiently, but toxic compounds like acetogenins and furan lipids are not completely eliminated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by performing controlled dehydration of avocados before oil extraction. This pre-treatment step removes water to below 10% moisture content, preventing the formation of furan lipids during subsequent extraction and refining processes. By addressing the root cause before the harmful compounds can form, the process eliminates toxicity concerns while maintaining refining efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the moisture content parameter of the avocado material from its natural state to below 10% through controlled dehydration. This parameter change fundamentally alters the chemical environment during extraction, preventing the formation of acetogenins and furan lipids. The dehydration process transforms the raw material state to ensure safety without compromising the oil extraction efficiency.
2Productivity
If avocados are heated and extracted by solvent or mechanical pressure, then oil extraction efficiency is improved, but unstable and potentially toxic compounds are formed and not completely removed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by controlling the dehydration process before extraction to prevent the formation of unstable compounds. By removing water to below 10% moisture content in a controlled manner, the process prevents chemical reactions that would create unstable compounds during subsequent heating or solvent extraction steps.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the moisture content parameter to below 10% through controlled dehydration, which fundamentally alters the stability profile of the material during extraction. This parameter change ensures that even when heating or solvent extraction is used, unstable compounds are not formed because the water necessary for their formation has been removed.
3Quantity of substance
If dried avocado oil is extracted using solvent or mechanical pressure, then oil yield is improved, but toxic compounds are released and extracted with the oil
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the moisture content parameter of the avocado material to below 10% through controlled dehydration before extraction. This parameter change prevents the formation and release of toxic acetogenins and furan lipids during solvent or mechanical pressure extraction, while still maintaining high oil yield. The controlled dehydration creates a stable matrix that allows efficient extraction without co-extracting harmful compounds.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The process results in a refined avocado oil that is substantially free of toxic compounds, highly stable, and rich in triglycerides and unsaponifiables, making it suitable for cosmetic, pharmaceutical, and nutritional applications while ensuring safety for human and animal use.
Implementation Method 1
Heat treatment of avocados reduces the residual moisture in the fruits to a content below 10%
Implementation Method 2
the fractionation of the oil into its fraction rich in triglycerides
Implementation Method 3
refining the fraction of the oil rich in triglycerides
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to compositions containing a first component selected from seaweed extracts, shark cartilage extracts, vegetable oils, oils of animal origin, or purified omega-3-rich compounds, and mixtures thereof, and a second component, which is a refined avocado oil rich in triglycerides, obtainable by a process comprising the following successive steps: (1) controlled dehydration of fresh or pre-processed avocados, advantageously carried out at a temperature between -50°C and 120°C, (2) extraction of the oil from the dehydrated fruit, (3) fractionation of the oil into its triglyceride-rich fraction, and then (4) refining of the triglyceride-rich oil fraction. The invention also relates to such compositions for use as a medicinal product, dermatological agent, cosmetic agent, or nutraceutical.for human or animal purposes.