Optimization of Supercritical Carbon Dioxide Extraction Conditions for Enhancing the Quality and Lipid Composition of Coconut Oil in Thailand

ABSTRACT This study investigated the factors temperature, pressure, and extraction time affecting the quality of supercritical carbon dioxide (SC‐CO 2 ) extraction and the lipid composition of coconut oil sourced from the Haad Nang Gam Community Tourism Enterprise in Surat Thani Province, Thailand. The extraction was performed at temperatures ranging within 35°C–100°C, pressures of 74–450 bar, and extraction times of 30–90 min. It was found that at a temperature of 35°C, a pressure of 450 bar, and an extraction time of 90 min, the coconut oil yield was 42.32% ± 0.31%, which is 2.3 times higher than the yield obtained using the mechanical screw pressing technique and corresponds to an extraction efficiency of 94.4% compared to hexane solvent extraction. The peroxide value was 1.26 ± 0.09 meq O 2 /kg oil, which is lower than the peroxide values obtained from mechanical pressing and hexane solvent extraction, which were 1.46 ± 0.06 and 1.57 ± 0.02 meq O 2 /kg oil, respectively. Furthermore, SC‐CO 2 extraction proved to be an efficient and selective method, yielding a higher amount of lauric acid (C12:0) compared to hexane solvent extraction and mechanical screw pressing, with the lauric acid content reaching 47.43%. The highest selective extraction of lauric acid, up to 52.02%, was achieved using SC‐CO 2 at 35°C, 150 bar, and an extraction time of 90 min.