Dynamic supercritical CO2 extraction for removal of cholesterol from anhydrous milk fat

The feasibility of different extraction techniques for the selective removal of cholesterol from anhydrous milk fat (AMF) by supercritical carbon dioxide has been studied. A dynamic extraction system was used to determine both the experimental solubility of anhydrous milk fat in the supercritical solvent and the selectivity of cholesterol over anhydrous milk fat at 40-70 degrees C and 8-40 MPa at various stages during extraction. In addition, adsorbents were used for the selective removal of cholesterol from anhydrous milk fat. The results indicate that a direct extraction alone or with several separators in series are not practical, but a selective removal of 97% of the cholesterol from the extracted anhydrous milk fat is possible by using an adsorbent with recovery of solvent and cholesterol. A schematic industrial countercurrent process for the removal of cholesterol and the fractionation of milk fat is proposed.