A team of scientists at the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay (IIT-B) has discovered a new cost-effective, zero-waste method of extracting oil from pomegranate seeds, which also yields high-quality protein and dietary fibres.
In the proposed method, pomegranate seeds are dried, powdered and added to sodium phosphate and incubated for ten minutes at 45ºC. Then, to break down the covering of the seeds, the enzyme protease is mixed, which releases the oil.
The seed-enzyme mixture is shaken continuously for four to 16 hours and then centrifuged for 20 minutes. After this, clear layers of pure oil, proteins and fibres are formed, which can then be extracted.
According to the research team, considering the quality of oil and protein in pomegranate seeds, it can very well replace flax seeds. It is very similar to chia seeds in properties. It can be considered a replacement for many functional properties.