ENZYMATIC HYDROLYSIS OF SOYBEAN FOR SOLVENT AND MECHANICAL OIL EXTRACTION

Due to inefficient extractability of its low oil content, soybeans are often bypassed in village-scale processing. Soygrits, flakes, and expanded collets were hydrolyzed by proteases, cellulases, and pectinases before oil extraction by solvent and static mechanical pressure. Driselase with multi-enzyme activity and two proteases improved solvent extraction rates but only Driselase enhanced mechanical pressing. Up to 58 % of seed oil was pressed from enzyme-hydrolyzed flakes but 88% was pressed from Driselase-treated collets. Either pretreatment is a feasible adjunct to mechanical pressing in small batch operations.