Studies on the processing and analysis of red pepper seed oil

Abstract

An attempt was made to improve the process condition of red pepper seed oil refining process for removal of capsaicin and red pigment. The crude oil extracted from red pepper seed oil with hexane had deep red color and burning taste because of the contamination of red pepper seed with red pepper particle. The method of acid value determination of crude red pepper seed oil was developed. Contaminated red pepper particles were completely removed one by one from small portions of seeds (ca. 150g). The pigments adhered to the seeds were washed out by boiling with n-hexane. The oil was extracted from the washed seed oil to determine the acid value of crude oil. After degummed with 500 ppm of 75\% phosphoric acid at 70$^\circ$C, Crude oil was refined with 0.16\% excess caustic lye. The alkali refined oil was bleached with the activated clay at 115$^\circ$C for 20 minutes. The deep red color of the crude oil due to the carotenoids was disappeared in the steam deodorization process which was undertaken at the high temperature of 235$^\circ$C and 1-6 mmHg vacuum for 1 hour. The acid value of crude oil was 1.18. Lovibond colot measured in 1 inch cell was 5.0 of yellow, 61.0 of red. Capsaicin content of the crude oil was 2.76 mg/ml. Acid value of finished oil with the alkali refining was 0.12, those of which without alkali refining was 0.31. Lovibond color of finished oil with alkali refining was 20.0 of yellow, 2.0 of red, those of which without alkali refining was 20.0 of yellow, 4.0 of red, 1.0 of blue. Hence, it showed that the quality of oil processed with alkali refining was better than that of oil processed without alkali refining. Capsaicin in oil was adsorbed to the activated clay, and thus removed completely from the oil with the use of 4\% activated clay in bleaching process. A modified method for the quantitative determination of capsaicin in oil was developed. Capsaicin in oil was extracted with ethanol, and was separated on the silica gel plate with the solv...