Optimization of the enzymatic pre-treatment process for mustard oilseeds using response surface methodology

In order to investigate the effect of an enzymatic pre-treatment process for the extraction of oil from black mustard seeds ( Brassica nigra ) using viscozyme, the reaction parameters such as temperature, buffer-to-seed ratio and enzyme concentration were considered as determinant factors in the central composite design. Optimization was carried out according to the four-variable five-level central composite design of experiments. The effects of enzyme concentration (5–12%), temperature (40–55 °C), pH (5.0–6.0), and reaction time (1–7 h) on the free oil liberated were studied. Residual oil was collected by subjecting the treated meal to soxhlet extraction for 4 h. An enzyme dose of 7.5% (w/w), pH 5.0, 50 °C, and 5 h with constant shaking at 450 rpm were found to be opti­mal conditions. Centrifuging the mixture at 7000 rpm for 30 min separated the oil with a recovery of 71–73.1%.