Optimization of black cumin oil separation process with food grade qualification using hydrodistillation method through pre-extraction treatment variation

The purpose of this study was to find out the influence of variations in pre-extraction treatment methods on the characterization, yield, morphology, active content ingredients of black cumin oil produced through the hydrodistillation extraction process, as well as the efficiency of energy consumption in the black cumin extraction process. The methodology carried out in this study is to combine the hydrodistillation process according to FDA standards with a combined pre-extraction treatment including Maceration (M), Maceration Microwave (MW), Maceration Ultrasonic (MU), and Maceration Microwave Ultrasonic (MWU). Each pre-extraction method will be given the variation in trial time of 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, and 60 minutes. Then followed by the extraction process will last for 9 hours. The research that has been done combined pre-extraction method of MWU shows the perfect breakdown of black cumin cell walls resulting in a yield of 20.61% (w/w). It also produces eleven components of the active ingredient with the largest percentage of components as much as 72.26% belong to tetracosamethyl-cyclododecasiloxan which can be used as an antioxidant in supplements. Treatment is done with the MWU pre-extraction method also provides a cost saving of 81.53% when compared to the pre-extraction method of maceration only. Thus, the MWU pre-extraction method proved capable of providing optimization of the black cumin oil separation process.