New method of producing pili nut oil developed

A simple method of producing oil from pili nut pulp has been developed.

Crafted by the Sorsogon provincial office of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), the process extracts oil from freshly harvested pili nuts using minimal heat and simple cooking and filtration tools.

"Because the process retains the aroma and natural green color of pili pulp, the resulting oil can be considered of premium or virgin quality," said DOST engineer Jerry Asuncion.

DOST-Sorsogon initiated the development of the technology as an alternative to the process introduced by the UP Los Baños National Institute of Molecular Biology and biotechnology (UPLB-BIOTECH), which uses enzymes in extraction and chemicals in refining pili pulp oil.

While more efficient, the UPLB-BIOTECH technology is complicated and requires substantial investment and may not be suitable in a village-scale pili nut-producing venture, DOST pointed out.

There is also a need to satisfy the demand of local organic groups, which took interest in the product for naturally processed, chemical-free, and virgin quality pili pulp oil for food, health, and cosmetic applications.

Asuncion reported that with the use of manual extraction, the technology was tested using different varieties of pili obtained from various areas in Sorsogon.

Oil yield varied widely and is clearly associated with the variety of pili nut. However, the maximum yield recorded so far is six percent, which translates to about 65 milliliters per kilogram of fresh whole nuts.

"Establishing the varietal differences in oil yield requires further study," Assuncion suggested. "But oil recovery is expected to increase if a suitable mechanical pulp press or extractor becomes available."

Asuncion further reported that analyses at DOST-5 laboratory showed that the oil produced by the process has a very low free fatty acid content (0.06 percent) and moisture content (0.04 percent), which favors a longer shelf life of the product.

He added: "Pili pulp oil has more beta carotone, a known vitamin A source, and carotenoids, which make it more nutritious than olive oil." – RAF