Abstract
In this study, the oil extraction process from Australian native beauty leaf seed has been optimised in terms of seed preparation and cracking, seed kernel treatment, moisture content and oil extraction methods. Two methods: mechanical oil extraction using an electric powered screw press and chemical oil extraction using n-hexane as an oil solvent have been applied to extract oil from the seed kernel. Both whole and grated kernels have been used for mechanical oil extraction process. The study indicated that treatment of seed kernel has a significant impact on oil yields for both techniques. It has been observed that kernels prepared to 15% moisture content provided the highest oil yields for both extraction methods. Mechanical extraction using the screw press could produce oil from the prepared kernels at a low cost. In addition, it has been obtained that oil yields by using grated kernels were relatively higher than the whole kernels. However, oil extraction by using this technique is ineffective due to relatively lower oil yields compared to chemical extraction. On the other hand, chemical extraction was found to be a very effective method for oil extraction because of its consistence performance and high oil yield, but cost of production was relatively higher due to high cost of solvent. The outcomes of this study are expected to serve as the basis on which industrial scale oil extraction can be made from beauty leaf seed.