Compositional and functional difference in cumin (Cuminum cyminum) essential oil extracted by hydrodistillation and SCFE

Essential oils were obtained from same raw material of cumin seed by extraction with hydrodistillation and super critical fluid extraction (SCFE). For SCFE, supercritical carbon dioxide at 45°C and 100 bar was used as variable for the extraction. The composition of the extracts was determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Yield of essential oil was more in the SCFE method. Extract obtained by supercritical fluid extraction technique using CO2 was heavier than the hydrodistilled volatile oil. Cumin oil obtained by hydrodistillation contained higher percentage of cuminaldehyde (52.6%), then did oil obtained by SCFE (37.3%), whereas cumin oil obtained by hydrodistillation had the lower percentage of cuminic alcohol (13.3%) as compared to 19.3% in SCFE method. However, cuminal (2-caren-10-al) content was almost similar in cumin oil obtained by the SCFE and hydrodistillation method (24.5–25.8%). Hydrodistilled volatile oil showed better antioxidant activity measured by DPPH and FRAP assay and more total phenol content. The results indicated that though essential oil yield was more in the SCFE method, antioxidant property was more in conventional hydrodistillation method. SCFE extracted non polar (wax materials) compounds along with volatile oil and it was recorded that enhanced aroma of signature compounds of cumin.