SUPPRESSION OF MAMMARY CARCINOMAS BY ALPHA-LINOLENIC ACID: PART I. EFFECT OF EXTRACTION METHODS ON QUALITY AND GC-MS ANALYSIS OF OIL FROM FLAXSEED (LINUM USITATISSIMUM L.).

Therapeutic role of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) in human health and disease is gaining remarkable attention in food products, formulations and supplements. Flaxseed oil is also one among the best sources of ALA. In this paper, effectiveness of ultrasonic extraction of oil from finely ground flaxseed flour is compared to the other two conventional extraction methods. The yields of oils in cold pressed method (30.14%), ultrasonic extraction (48.05%) and Soxhlet extracted (43.01%) were measured. The yield of oil from finely ground flaxseed flour by ultrasonic extraction was higher than that of the cold pressed and Soxhlet extraction methods. From GC-MS analysis, significant degradation of constituents of oils was found (p > 0.05). Unsaturated fatty acids were more in oil extracted using ultrasonic method in comparison to cold pressed and Soxhlet extraction methods. In oils, ALA was significantly higher ranging between 47.99% - 55.83% than oleic acid (19.32 25.14%), linoleic acid (11.42 - 13.68%), and stearic acid (04.46 - 06.34%) was significantly higher than other saturated fatty acids. Among the extraction methods, ultrasonic extraction method was considered promising and industrially scalable in terms of reduced extraction time, solvent consumption, yield, stability and quality in comparison with other conventional extraction methods.