Effect of Extraction Processes on Antioxidant Activity of Virgin Coconut Oil

The present study explored the antioxidant activity of virgin coconut oil extracted by aqueous extraction process and aqueous enzymatic extraction process as compared to that of coconut oil extracted by hot plate heating process, microwave oven heating process and cold extraction process using commercial virgin coconut oil as a control. Total phenolic content of extracted oils ranged from 26.4±0.15 to 42.13±0.31 mg GAE/100 g of oil, where in, aqueous and aqueous enzymatic extraction processes were observed for the highest values with respect to control (40.97±0.50 mg GAE/100 g of oil). The similar pattern of results for the highest DPPH radical scavenging activity, β-carotene linoleate bleaching activity, reducing power and total antioxidant activity were observed for aqueous and aqueous enzymatic extraction processes than (p<0.05) in other methods in dose dependent manner. Hence, the aqueous and aqueous enzymatic extraction processes could be evidenced to retain the maximum total phenolic contents of coconut in the extracted oils than other extraction methods.