Abstract
Caryocar brasiliense Cambess (pequi) is the fruit of the pequizeiro tree found in the Brazilian Cerrado (savanna). Supercritical fluids have been used to effectively extract bioactive chemicals. In light of the paucity of research on the supercritical extraction of pequi, in this study, experimental tests were conducted on the extraction of pequi almond oil using supercritical CO(2;) the optimal extraction conditions were determined, and the fatty acids and active compounds in the oil were characterized. The experiments were conducted using the Box-Behnken experimental design of a three-variable system: pressure (15, 20, and 25 MPa), temperature (303.15, 318.15, and 333.15 K), and flow rate (2, 3, and 5 g.min(-1)). The optimal extraction conditions were 318.15 K, 25 MPa, and 5.0 g.min(-1), which yielded 27.6 wt% of oil. The experimental kinetic curves were described using a second-order quadratic model (based on the Sovová model), which demonstrated a satisfactory correspondence with the kinetic curves. Significant amounts of squalene, stigmasterol, oleic fatty acids, and palmitic fatty acids were detected in pequi almond oil.