Optimization of rice lipid production from ultrasound-assisted extraction by response surface methodology

• A new method of ultrasound-assisted extraction of rice lipid was proposed.
• Response surface methodology was used to optimize the extraction method.
• Extraction temperature and time were evidently decreased compared to conventional method.

In this work, a new method of ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) of rice lipid was proposed. From the single-factor experimental design, extraction with hexane resulted in the highest yield compared to petroleum ether and isopropanol. The amount of extracted rice lipids yields enhanced with increasing sonication power, temperature and time, respectively. However, excessive sonication power, temperature and prolonged time would lead to the decrease of rice lipid. A response surface methodology (RSM) was used to optimize the parameters on UAE based on single factor experiment. Optimum combinations for lipid extraction yield (77.31%) were hexane, 123W, 42 °C and 37 min. The compositions of lipid were obtained by gas chromatography and mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and no significant differences were observed between UAE and conventional method.