Technology which makes it possible to obtain a process to clarify cloudy oil, assuring high retention of the qualitative features (physico-chemical, sensory and health-related) of the product as it does not come in contact with foreign material such as filter media. This technology also makes it possible to eliminate issues to do with oil disposal and to increase oxidative stability of the product due to removal of of dissolved oxygen. The technology stems from the need to identify an innovative and alternative system for edible oil clarification, traditionally performed with the aid of filtration media.
Small scale prototype for edible oil treatment with inert gases
This is a so-called mild process technologies for the transformation and stabilisation of foodstuffs. The advantage consists in the reduced loss of minor components such as phenolic compounds, responsible for oil's health properties, as well as volatile compounds that define its aromatic features. Furthermore, this innovative technology does not produce any waste intended for disposal. The beneficial effects in terms of product quality/stability are essentially due to a physical kind of separation of the oil from undesired components such as water, mucilages and protein compounds.
The technology developed has high application potential in oil producing facilities, when replacing traditional filtering treatments. A more detailed estimate of treatment costs, especially in terms of the gas used, may afford more accurate definition of application fields, and the types of olive oil for which the proposed treatment offers high convenience of application (e.g. industrial or semi-artisanal). This new technology might feature interesting applications also in the non-food sector, such as in the treatment of plant oils for the cosmetics industry.
Effect of treatment time on the product's visual quality
Treatment of cloudy olive oils, produced from olive crops of 2010-2011, 2011-2012, 2012-2013.
The treatment was applied to oil from different areas of production (Apulia, Emilia-Romagna, Lazio), in order to test its effectiveness on unfiltered products with different original composition/quality features. In all cases the treatment resulted in product clarification, bringing about high oil separation from the water in micro-emulsion and from the material in dispersion/suspension. The effect on the visual quality of the product cannot be compared to that of the traditional brightening treatment, but the inert gas process is more "respectful" of oil's composition and sensory features. Furthermore, shelf-life studies performed have shown that the product features greater preservation stability, also enhanced by the removal of the dissolved oxygen in the matrix. The systems used have been implemented both in laboratory scale (5 L tank) and in pilot/semi-industrial systems (50 L - 1000 L). The results obtained have shown how the process causes olive oil clarification, removing water in micro-emulsion (bottom deposit) and substances in dispersion/suspension (surfacing). Shelf-life tests have shown how, compared to untreated product, oil oxidation phenomena are significantly slowed down. The promotion activity of the proposed system has aroused significant interest, both at national and international level.
Companies in the oil sector
A patent has been filed,holders are UniBO and Sapio s.r.l. Future exploitation strategy: identification of players/methods for industrial production of the above technology;development and implementation of a "portable kit" for oil treatment ( 5 L - 50 L); production of large tanks and/or preparation/implementation of modification procedures on traditional tanks to ready them for the treatment
Semi-industrial scale prototype for edible oil treatment with inert gases