Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Canary seeds (Phalaris canariensis L.) are rich in starch, proteins, and lipids, especially polyunsaturated fatty acids, however their potential remains underexplored. METHODS: This study evaluated supercritical CO2 extraction (SCCO2) to obtain valuable lipids and defatted flour, evaluating the chemical characterization of the extracted oils and a thorough assessment of the properties of the resulting defatted flours. Refined (RF) and whole (WF) flours were defatted by SCCO2 (41 ± 1 °C, 40 ± 1 MPa, 360-540 min) and compared with hexane extraction (HX) (80 °C). RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: The fatty acid profile of the lipid fraction of RF and WF revealed no significant differences, both being rich in mono- (14 g/100 g-oil) and polyunsaturated (76 g/100 g-oil) fatty acids. Unlike HX, SCCO2 preserved the tocopherol content in the extracted oil, with γ-tocopherol being the most abundant form. WF exhibited better hydration and surfactant properties than RF after defatting. Defatted flours showed increased peak (19-38%) and breakdown (20-45%) viscosities respect to the original flours due to lipids limiting water absorption. SCCO2-defatted flours showed the highest amylose retrogradation, with setback viscosity up to 26% higher than non-defatted samples. All flours studied showed the ability of forming gels with a predominantly elastic character. Gels made with SCCO2-extracted flours showed an increased elastic modulus (+20%) with respect to HX-extracted ones indicating an increased elastic behavior. In conclusion, SCCO2-extracted oil contained valuable polyunsaturated fatty acids and preserved tocopherols, whereas defatted flours improved functional and gelling properties, making them promising food thickening agents.