Extraction of oil and bioactive compounds from Araucaria angustifolia (Bertol.) Kuntze using subcritical n-propane and organic solvents

• Subcritical extraction, using n-propane as solvent, was compared to Soxhlet method.
• The kinetic data of subcritical extraction were adjusted to the Sovová model.
• Good correlation between predicted and observed data was obtained.
• Extraction yields showed no significant difference (p < 0.05) between the methods.
• SubFE oil presented higher contents of bioactive compounds and oxidative stability.

Araucaria angustifolia is a conifer belonging to the Araucariaceae family, whose seeds, which are known as “pinhão”, are consumed as food. We evaluated the proximal composition of these seeds endosperms (in natura). The values of moisture, ash, crude protein, total lipids, total fibers, and other carbohydrates were 43.70%, 1.50%, 3.42%, 1.67%, 1.29%, and 48.42%, respectively. The total lipids were extracted using subcritical n-propane and the yields and chemical composition of oils were compared to Soxhlet method. The extraction yields showed no statistical difference (p < 0.05). The main fatty acids were linoleic, oleic, and palmitic acid. High concentrations of the essential fatty acids, total tocopherol, and total phytosterol were obtained in the extracts by subcritical fluid extraction at 40 °C and 8 MPa. Furthermore, it was determined that the oil extracted by Soxhlet was less resistant to lipid oxidation. The Sovová model was fitted to the experimental data with good agreement.

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