Optimization of Conditions for the Extraction of Tea Seed Oil Using Cellulase and Analysis of the Tea Seed Oil

Tea seed oil, rich in unsaturated fatty acids, is comparable to olive oil in nutritional value and is considered a high-grade plant-based edible oil. The cellulase-assisted aqueous enzymatic method involves mechanically crushing and roasting tea seeds, followed by the addition of cellulase to degrade the cell walls, releasing the oil from the cells, and finally collecting the oil via centrifugation. This study optimized five factors affecting the extraction process: enzymatic hydrolysis time, enzyme dosage, solid-to-liquid ratio, temperature, and pH. The optimal conditions for cellulase-assisted extraction of tea seed oil were determined to be an enzymatic hydrolysis time of 75 minutes, enzyme dosage of 60 U/g of tea seed powder, solid-to-liquid ratio of 1:4, temperature of 45°C, and pH of 4.5, achieving a maximum extraction yield of approximately 18%. Additionally, the moisture and volatile content, peroxide value, and acid value of the extracted tea seed oil were analyzed. The results showed that the oleic acid content in the extracted oil was 70.49%, and the total unsaturated fatty acid content was 76.74%. Both the acid value and peroxide value were lower than the national standards for crude tea seed oil. This study provides a reference for the application of cellulase-assisted aqueous enzymatic extraction of tea seed oil.