A new technique for the isolation of flavor components from fats and oils

A new continuous process for the isolation of flavor compounds from fats and oils has been developed. This new technique involves 1) countercurrent contact of the oil with steam in a 30 plate Oldershaw column, 2) condensation of the steam carrying the flavor compounds in a trap cooled with liquid nitrogen, 3) continuous liquid‐liquid extraction of the condensate with a small amount of ethyl ether, and 4) removal of the solvent with a 6 plate Oldershaw column. In this process the oil is heated to 80ŶC. for only 12 min. The peroxide number of a reverted soybean oil only decreased from 4.1 to 3.4 meq./kg. by this treatment. Flavor compounds isolated from an oil by this new technique are characteristic of the oil. Very little decomposition occurs during the isolation process and therefore the flavor compounds isolated represent truly the flavor orginally present in the oil. Flavor compounds isolated from a reverted‐but‐not‐rancid soybean oil when added to a bland coconut oil at a concentration of less than 10 ppm make it taste exactly like a reverted soybean oil.