Extraction and refining of oil obtained from dried avocado fruit using a small expeller.

Abstract

Sun-dried, destoned, peeled and unpeeled avocados from Kenya were pressed using a small expeller and produced dark-coloured oils. Yields of crude oil were high, giving extraction efficiencies of 79.4-90.3%. Crude oil clarified by gravity was neutralized and bleached with a variety of diatomaceous earths to give light to medium yellow oils. The avocado oil was shown to be similar in composition to olive oil. Its potential as an edible oil is discussed