PRODUCTION OF CALORIE-REDUCED ALMONDS BY SUPERCRITICAL EXTRACTION

Diced and flaked almonds were extracted by a supercritical-extraction process. The oil content of diced almonds was reduced by 48% on a weig ht basis (56% on the volume basis) during 12 h of extraction with supe rcritical CO2 flowing through the extraction vessel at an average rate of about 3.3 kg h-1 at 7000 psi and 50-degrees-C. In case of flaked a lmonds an oil reduction of 87% by weight and 89% on a volume basis was achieved under similar conditions. Screen analysis of extracted almon ds confirmed that the process did not cause breakage of almond particl es during extraction. Being considerably enriched in protein (the dice d by 35% and flaked by 82%, respectively, on a weight basis), minerals (by 33 and 89%), and carbohydrates including dietary fiber (by 48 and 100%), the extracted almonds are nutritionally more balanced due to f ewer calories coming from fat. The derived products also have consider ably lower bulk densities. Since the bulk volume is considerably more important than the weight of almonds used in many food applications, t his greater relative bulk volume of extracted almonds could translate into significant benefits for both the consumers and processors.