Nutraceuticals tocopherols

Recent developments in the area of oils and fats has led to the production of specialty lipids from novel sources such as fruit seeds, nuts, and other minor plant sources. In addition, preparation of structured lipids for a myriad of applications has been of interest. Minor components of oils and fats may be isolated during processing and used as nutraceutical and functional food ingredients. Examples are lecithin, phytosterols, tocopherols, and tocotrienols, among others. Obviously, the health-promoting potential of such products is also of interest. 

Tocopherols and tocotrienols used for supplementation of foods and feeds or production of nutraceuticals, e.g., pills and powders, are obtained either by extraction from natural sources or by chemical synthesis (Schuler, 1990 O Leary, 1993). Extraction of tocopherols and tocotrienols from natural sources is economically feasible only if tocopherol/tocotrienol-rich raw materials are available at large quantities and are of high quality. In production of both natural and synthetic compounds, there are several extraction and purification processes that have to be optimized and controlled. Moreover, the environmental impacts of these processes should be acknowledged. Technological innovations in these areas are constantly needed. 

Tocotrienals are the new antioxidants found in the oil fractions of cereal grains. Examples would be wheat, rice, rye, and barley grains. The benefits of tocotrienals are similar to those of tocopherols and vitamin E. They can reduce cholesterol and slow the advance of atherosclerosis and the progress of certain cancers. These nutraceuticals are available as supplements. 

Non-refined cold pressed crude palm oil, also called Red Pahn Oil , has been consumed in Central and West Africa since time immemorial, as it has also been in Central America and Brazil. Red pahn oil has a wonderful rich flavour it is the richest known natural product in tocotrienols and carotenes, which give rise to the red colour. Development of techniques like integrated extraction technologies to recover these functional components from pahn oil has contributed to the emergence of the nutraceutical industry in Malaysia that produces tocopherol and tocotrienol capsules, carotene-rich palm oil and pahn... 

Oil and oil fractions, phenols, tocopherols and peptides are all of interest to the canola/oilseed rape processing industry for their potential use in functional food products and nutraceuticals. The successful use of ultrasound-assisted extraction of these components in various plant or tissue systems demonstrates that ultrasound-assisted extraction is a viable alternative for the canola/oilseed rape industry for the recovery of value-added products from whole seeds, hulls and press cakes. However, due to limited research on pilot-scale application, it is difficult to model cost advantages of ultrasound-assisted extraction versus conventional solvent extraction when applied to commodity oilseed processing. 

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