ExtReMo: specialty Oils: Extraction, Refinement and Modification (EN)

Vegetable oils are valuable raw materials for various industries. They are interesting for food applications, but they can also serve as a source of renewable chemicals. In particular, highly unsaturated (polyunsaturated) oils can be used in various industrial applications (adhesives, paints, polymers,...). These oils typically contain high levels of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids and are therefore also valuable in nutrition in some cases. In Flanders and the Netherlands, rapeseed is currently mainly grown. However, this oil contains a rather low content of polyunsaturated fatty acids and is therefore of little interest for high-value applications. In this project, a number of 'high-value oils ' were investigated. The crops were grown and processed locally. Afterwards, the oils were extracted and their usability in various industrial applications was investigated.

After extractions, the oils were analysed to determine, among other things, the fatty acid composition and the presence of "minor components". These analyses showed that several locally grown crops deserve the "high quality" label.

Building blocks

Oils composed mainly of highly unsaturated fatty acids are highly reactive and can be used as building blocks or aids in the production of nylon, plastics and coatings, among others. In doing so, they replace the classic building blocks derived from fossil raw materials. Crops that belong in this category include bulb kale, Ethiopian mustard, deder and snakeweed. The oil from the matcha plant, in turn, is composed of short-chain saturated fatty acids with decanoic acid being the most represented. This fatty acid has antibacterial activity and is used as an additive in animal feed. Another crop with great potential due to the presence of a highly reactive fatty acid is marigold. The oil from the flower seeds can serve as a possible substitute for tung oil in various industrial applications such as alkyd resins in paints. As the current market of tung oil is not stable and raw materials are sourced from China and Brazil, marigold seed oil can offer a nice locally grown alternative.

Minor components

An oil can also be high-quality due to the presence of one or more important "minor components". This is the case of amaranth and quinona. The oils of both crops contain higher levels of squalene compared to other crops. The search for sources of squalene is burning because squalene is an adjuvant in the preparation of vaccines including the vaccine against COVID 19. However, currently squalene is extracted from shark liver oil. Thus, plant sources of squalene are being diligently sought. Amaranth and quinona may provide an answer here.