Sterols and fatty acids extraction process from the cactus Opuntia ficus-indica [(L.) Miller] by means of supercritical CO2

After 120 years of Supercritical Fluids (SCF) discovering, practical applications began to be developed. The SCF extraction (SCFE) of sterol fraction and fatty acids from the prickly pear seeds' oil, considered sub-product from sweets processing, is compared to traditional extraction methods varying extraction time, modifier influence, temperature and pressure of supercritical CO2 as main solvent. The main substances found were β-sitosterol (BS), Linoleic Acid (LA) and Palmitic Acid (PA). Low BS extraction velocities were found during the pure CO2 extractions reaching the maximum yield after 55 min (0.09 mgBS/min), while by modified CO2 at 35 min (0.16 mgBS/min). Best BS extraction conditions were found 35 °C and 175 bar while for LA and PA 55 °C and 125 bar offering the possibility for a further fractionation given the different affinities ruled by the difference in molar mass. SCFE confirmed a higher selectivity by adjusting the extraction conditions, saving time and aggressive solvent handling compared to traditional extraction