Comparative Profiling of Volatile Compounds and Fatty Acids in Pomegranate Seed Oil: Soxhlet vs. CO2/IPA Extraction for Quality and Circular Bioeconomy Goals
2025
Caterina Fraschetti | Antonello Filippi | Antonia Iazzetti | Giancarlo Fabrizi | Francesco Cairone | Stefania Cesa
This study compares the chemical profiles of pomegranate seed oil (PSO) from two cultivars, Granato (G) and Roce (R), extracted by Soxhlet and supercritical CO2/isopropanol. GC-MS and NMR analyses confirmed punicic acid as the dominant fatty acid, with &alpha:-eleostearic, oleic, and linoleic acids in lower amounts. Supercritical extraction increased yield (about 18%) and selectively raised &alpha:-eleostearic and linoleic acids. Volatile organic compound (VOC) profiling by HS-SPME-GC-MS showed higher aldehydes, esters, and terpenes in supercritical extracts, including (E)-cinnamaldehyde (absent in Soxhlet). Soxhlet oils contained more hydrocarbons, suggesting thermal degradation. Overall, supercritical CO2/IPA proved more sustainable and selective, preserving nutritional and aromatic quality and supporting PSO&rsquo:s potential in food, nutraceutical, and cosmetic uses.
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