Identification of the fatty acids profiles in supercritical CO₂ fluid and Soxhlet extraction of Samara oil from different cultivars of Elaeagnus mollis Diels seeds

Abstract

Nutritional values in five cultivars of Elaeagnus mollis Diels seeds were evaluated. The profiles of fatty acids in samara oil (SO1 to SO5), extracted from five cultivars of Elaeagnus mollis Diels seeds were identified by GC–MS. Two extraction technologies, supercritical fluid carbon dioxide (SF-CO₂) and Soxhlet extraction were also compared. A higher oil yield was obtained through Soxhlet extraction against SF-CO₂ technology. SF-CO₂- Extracted SO obtained higher unsaturated fatty acid (USFA) content, while Soxhlet-Extracted SO had higher saturated fatty acid (SFA) content. The ratio of USFA to SFA was 9:1. Linoleic acid, oleic acid, and palmitic acid were the most abundant fatty acids identified in SO. The content ratio of linoleic acid to α-Linolenic acid in SO4 was close to the proportions in breast milk (6:1). SO1 and SO4 could be used as potential sources to develop functional food products. SF-CO₂ technology was a better option for SO extraction regarding preservation of bioactive compounds.