Deoiling of crude lecithin using supercritical carbon dioxide in the presence of co-solvents

Deoiling of crude soybean lecithin using supercritical fluid mixtures of ca rbon dioxide and 2 different co-solvents, ethanol and acetone, was studied at 62 degreesC and at pressures of 170 and 200 bars. Both ethanol and aceto ne increased the solubility of oil considerably without any significant coe xtraction of phospholipids. It was shown that deoiling could be achieved at lower pressures when a co-solvent is used leaving behind a valuable produc t of high content phospholipids, whereas negligible oil extraction was obse rved with pure CO,. at the same conditions.