Enzyme-assisted fresh pressing for Camellia oleifera oil: Characterization of phenolic compounds, fatty acids, and oxidative stability

Camellia seed oil (CSO) is rich in polyphenols, but conventional processing can result in significant loss of phenolic compounds such as phenolic acids, flavonoids and lignans. This study developed an enzyme-assisted fresh pressing (EFP) method to extract oil from fresh Camellia seeds. The extraction process was optimized using a 3.3% mixed enzymes (cellulase, protease, and pectinase of 1:1:1 (v/v/v)) at 55°C for 54 min under pH=3.8. Compared with hot pressing (HP) and fresh pressing (FP), EFP significantly increased oil yield and enhanced total phenol content and antioxidant capacity. In contrast, the fatty acid composition of CSO was slightly affected by the extraction method, indicating that EFP preserved the intrinsic lipid profile of the oil. Notably, benzoic acid, salicylic acid and 3, 4-dihydroxybenzoic acid were three phenolic acids unique to EFP oil. These findings highlight the potential of EFP as a green and efficient method for producing polyphenol-enriched CSO, providing a reference for sustainable oil processing.