Process Optimization to Preserve β-Carotene During Palm Fruit Irradiation

Excluded free fatty acid content, palm oil quality was indicated by the presence of minor constituents in palm oil such as β-carotene. Heating utilizing microwave energy degrades β-carotene. This study carried out process optimization to evaluate significant parameters affected palm oil quality during sterilization by microwave irradiation and to obtain optimum process parameters to preserve β-carotene concentration in palm oil. Central composite design (CCD) and response surface methodology (RSM) were used t. The optimum β-carotene concentration in this study was 404 ppm obtained from microwave sterilization with combination of mass, power and time approximately 117 grams, 669.087 watts and 5 min respectively. (paper)