FRACTIONATION OF SQUALENE FROM AMARANTH SEED OIL

Amaranth seed oil was fractionated in a bench-scale short-path distill ation unit to obtain fractions rich in squalene. Fractionations were c onducted with degummed amaranth oil, alkali-refined amaranth oil, and simulated amaranth oil. Squalene concentration was increased about sev enfold with a squalene recovery of 76.0% in the distillate when degumm ed amaranth oil was fractionated at 180 degrees C and 3 mtorr vacuum. Free fatty acids codistilled with squalene, lowering the squalene cont ent of the distillate, and resulted in a semisolid distillate at room temperature. Alkali-refining was subsequently used to reduce the free fatty acid content before fractionation. A simulated oil (7% squalene/ 93% soybean oil) and alkali-refined amaranth oil were fractionated at three temperatures (160, 170, and 180 degrees C) and five vacuum setti ngs (10, 100, 200, 400, and 600 mtorr). The highest squalene recoverie s from simulated oil and alkali-refined amaranth oil were 73.4 and 67. 8%, respectively, both at 180 degrees C and 100 mtorr, which translate s to 12.1- and 9.2-fold increases in squalene concentration, respectiv ely. The squalene recovery of the alkali-refined amaranth oil at 180 d egrees C was not significantly different at 10 mtorr vs. 100 mtorr. Th e results of this study can be used as a component to assess the econo mic feasibility of fractionating amaranth seed for starch, oil, meal, and squalene.