Comparative assessment and optimization of microwave-assisted green solvent enzymatic extraction (MAGSEE) of Sesame oil: a sustainable approach to traditional methods

Conventional oil extraction methods face significant drawbacks, including low yield, high energy use, and hazardous chemical usage. This study optimized a green extraction technique for sesame oil, known as microwave-assisted green solvent enzymatic extraction (MAGSEE). The optimized MAGSEE conditions were: microwave power of 458 W, enzyme-to-ground seed ratio (g/100 g) of 0.23 g/100 g, treatment time of 127 s, and pH of 3.81. This method produced an oil yield of 46.63%, which was higher than mechanical extraction (35.30%) and aqueous enzymatic extraction (27.80%), and comparable to conventional solvent extraction (45.38%), and close to the gold standard Soxhlet extraction (47.19%). However, Soxhlet extraction has drawbacks like high solvent-to-feedstock ratios and lengthy operation times, making it less suitable for rapid and efficient processing under laboratory conditions. The MAGSEE oil exhibited desirable physicochemical properties, such as a refractive index of 1.463, a specific gravity of 0.918, a color of 64.14, free fatty acids of 1.42%, saponification of 192.20 mg KOH/g, a peroxide value of 1.76 meq O 2 /kg, and an iodine value of 111.19 meq I/g. No significant difference was found between predicted and actual values. The process resulted in higher oil yield while maintaining the quality of the extracted oil. The optimized MAGSEE process demonstrated higher oil yield and comparable quality to conventional methods, with reduced reliance on hazardous solvents. These findings indicate its potential as an alternative extraction approach; however, detailed sustainability assessment requires further evaluation of energy use, solvent recovery, and environmental impact. The present study is limited to laboratory-scale experimentation, and further work is required to evaluate the scalability and industrial applicability of the process.