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In this study, the extraction of oil from seeds of castor (Ricinus communis) was intended using aqueous enzymatic extraction (AEE). After evaluating several enzymes (cellulase, pectinase, hemicellulase and Viscozyme L), the enzymatic cocktail Viscozyme L gave the best oil extraction yield (64 %) at pH 4 and 50 °C, and it was chosen for the optimization of the extraction process using a response surface methodology and a central composite design. Under optimal conditions (2% of Viscozyme L, 4 h of incubation time, 200 rpm and a solid to liquid ratio of 1:5), an oil yield extraction of 80 % was achieved using AEE. Compared with oil extracted using solvent extraction, AEE produced an oil with a higher acid and iodine values, but a similar fatty acid composition. Additionally, oxidative stability was higher in oil extracted using AEE, so it can be said that in terms of this parameter, AEE produces a higher quality oil compared to the SE. Scanning Electron Micrographs (SEM) imagines showed that Viscozyme L causes a destruction of cell walls and liposome membranes structure of castor seeds, causing the oil release. The results showed that AEE is a no contaminant extraction technology that can be employed in the industrial extraction of oil from castor seed.

In this study, aqueous enzymatic extraction (AEE) was evaluated during the process of obtaining oil from mamey sapote seed (OMSS). Viscozyme L enzyme complex was used at pH 4 and 50 °C during the optimization of the extraction process by central composite design and response surface methodology. Optimal conditions were: 3.5% (w/w) of enzyme (regarding the seed weight), 5.5 h of incubation time, 235 rpm of agitation rate, and 1:3.5 of solid-to-liquid ratio. These conditions enabled us to obtain an OMSS yield of 66%. No statistically significant differences were found in the fatty acid profile and physicochemical properties, such as the acid and iodine values and the percentage of free fatty acids, between the oil obtained by AEE or by the conventional solvent extraction (SE). However, the oxidative stability of the oil obtained by AEE (11 h) was higher than that obtained by SE (9.33 h), therefore, AEE, in addition to being an environmentally friendly method, produces a superior quality oil in terms of oxidative stability. Finally, the high oil content in mamey sapote seed, and the high percentage of oleic acid (around 50% of the total fatty acid) found in this oil, make it a useful edible vegetable oil.