Influence of the operating conditions on acid degumming process in sunflower seed oil

Abstract

We have now extended this study, investigating the effect of dif-ferent variables related mainly to the acid refining step (typeand concentration of degumming agents, temperature andcontact time), in accordance with technological requirements.Diverse degumming agents [phosphoric acid, citric acid, andacid mixtures (phosphoric/citric acids, 50:50), all used in a2.5% ratio (degumming agent/oil) at a concentration of 8, 10,and 13%], temperatures (60, 70, and 80°C), contact times(5?35 min with moderate agitation) were used. With themethodology described in Reference 1, the high-performanceliquid chromatography?evaporative light scattering detectionprofiles and the residual phosphorus content were determined,applying the statistical analysis of data (2). The residual totalphospholipid content in supernatant oils degummed at60°C/0% measured the least at 35 min for citric and phos-phoric acid and at 25 min for the acid mixture (P < 0.05). At70°C/10%, citric acid exhibited a notable superiority as adegumming agent, with the lowest total phospholipid contentat 25 min (P < 0.05); similar results were obtained at 35 minfor the acid mixture and for phosphoric acid. The lowest re-maining phospholipid content was observed at 35 (acid mix-ture) and 15 min (citric and phosphoric acid) at 80°C/10%. Inthe phosphoric acid treatment, the residual content wasgreater (P < 0.05) than with the other agents assayed