Lipid Phase Refining via Nanoemulsion Extraction and Centrifugal Separation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for refining vegetable oils are inefficient in removing odorants, flavorings, and colorants without altering the sensory qualities or chemically degrading the oil, leading to off-flavors, off-odors, and reduced storage stability, and involve high resource consumption and waste generation.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a pre-purification step to reduce phosphorus content, followed by mixing with an aqueous phase containing amidine or guanidine groups, and intensive mixing to form a nanoemulsion, allowing centrifugal separation of odorants and colorants into an aqueous phase.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If bleaching earth and steam deodorization are used to remove odorous substances and colorants, then the purification effect is improved, but the oil undergoes oxidation and loses antioxidants, resulting in poor storage stability
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the chemical parameters of the refining system by using aqueous ammonia solution instead of traditional bleaching earth and steam deodorization. The ammonia solution reacts with odorous substances and colorants through chemical neutralization and complexation, achieving purification without high-temperature oxidation that damages antioxidants and reduces storage stability.
Solution Approach 2:
Aqueous ammonia solution serves as an intermediary substance that mediates between the oil and contaminants. The ammonia molecules form complexes with odorous substances and colorants, enabling their removal while the ammonia itself can be easily separated from the oil phase, preserving the oil's natural antioxidants and improving storage stability.
2Manufacturing precision
If bleaching earth is used to remove colorants, then the color purity is improved, but the process becomes resource-intensive and requires heating
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces the mechanical/physical adsorption system of bleaching earth with a chemical solution system using aqueous ammonia. The ammonia solution chemically neutralizes and complexes with colorants, eliminating the need for high-temperature heating and energy-intensive processes while achieving superior color purity.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the operational parameters from high-temperature heating (steam deodorization) to ambient or mild temperature chemical treatment. The aqueous ammonia solution effectively removes colorants through chemical reactions at lower temperatures, significantly reducing energy consumption while improving color purity.
3Manufacturing precision
If traditional sequential refining methods are used to remove phospholipids and color pigments, then the depletion of contaminants is improved, but the process complexity and number of steps increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges multiple sequential refining functions (phospholipid removal, color pigment removal, and odorous substance removal) into a single integrated treatment step using aqueous ammonia solution. This one-step process simultaneously achieves depletion of all contaminants, dramatically simplifying the process while maintaining high manufacturing precision.
Solution Approach 2:
Aqueous ammonia solution serves as a universal refining agent that performs multiple functions simultaneously: it removes phospholipids through complexation, eliminates color pigments through chemical reaction, and eliminates odorous substances through neutralization. This multi-functional approach replaces multiple specialized process steps with a single versatile treatment.
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
Achieves high-purity refined oils with reduced odor, flavor, and color without heating, saving resources and avoiding chemical alteration, with significant reductions in impurities like chlorophyll and free fatty acids.
Implementation Method 1
moving the lipid phase with an aqueous phase containing a substance which has at least one amidine group or at least one guanidine group and which has a distribution coefficient between n-octanoi and water of K0w<6.3
Implementation Method 2
centrifugal phase separation to remove odorous and colorant substances
Data Source
Figure 1~3
AI summary
The invention relates to a method for gently eliminating odorous substances and coloring agents from lipid phases. Said method is easy and inexpensive to carry out and and can be employed for purifying lipid phases of various origins.