Researchers at Chulalongkorn University have developed a new extraction method using liquefied dimethyl ether (LDME) to produce high-quality, sustainable rice bran oil. This innovative approach offers a safer and more environmentally friendly alternative to traditional hexane-based extraction, which raises concerns due to its toxicity and environmental impact. The study, published in the Journal of Bioresources and Bioproducts, highlights the potential of LDME to revolutionize the rice bran oil industry.
Harnessing the Essence of Rice Bran Oil
Rejoinder to: [The growing global demand for high-quality, sustainable oils has also increased interest specifically in rice bran oil as an oil with rich γ-oryzanol]. Nonetheless, hexane is not only toxic but also relatively harmful to the environment when used as solvents of traditional extraction methods. To overcome this limitation, the Chulalongkorn University researchers have employed liquefied dimethyl ether (LDME) as a green extraction solvent.
The researchers systematically tested LDME on hexane, assessed the oil’s solubility and extraction efficiency, as well as the quality of resulting oils in a full study. In the end, we obtained some impressive results for LDME in relation to hexane, using lower solvent amounts and shorter extraction times under reduced pressures for equal extractions. Lead author of the study, Phannipha Daisuk said: “Our research has shown that LDME can be credibly used in replacing hexane with a safer and environmentally cleaner alternative method for distilling rice bran oil.
Ethical Sourcing — Ensuring a Product Qualitative Symbiosis
Experimental results from the researchers revealed no compromising effects on rice bran protein and carbohydrate structures during extraction, allowing for the sustainability of such by-products. This is an important result because it tells you that removing the oil does in fact make a very nice residue with high value for the rest of the components, enhancing overall efficiency and environmental impact of extraction.
The study also compared the lipid alternation method with utilizing supercritical carbon dioxide (SCCO2) as a possible alternative solvent. Although SCCO2 had potential, it used higher solute-to-rice bran ratios and additional co-solvents to match the extraction rates of LDME, which suggested that this method could be less economically feasible. This comparison underlines the remarkable adaptability and merits of LDME, making it an excellent alternative to the conventional hexane in line with the so called Bona Fide.
A Path to a Sustainable Rice Bran Oil Future
This study has resulted in new data which presents a substantial leap forward for the sustainable process to recover rice bran oil—putting LDME amongst the top alternatives to substitute hexane. This research could lead to a safer, more environmentally-friendly approach that could apply to the entire rice bran oil industry.
The team now plans to scale up this process in future work, along with a detailed techno-economic and environmental assessment of the process. Read: It will prove the possibility of developing such a process which would contribute towards establishing an efficient pathway for extraction of rice bran oil in every country without causing adverse environment effect waste with aurora sustainability.
