Optimization of extraction technology of tea saponin from oil-tea camellia meal by response surface methodology.

The experiment used oil-tea camellia meal as the raw material and extracted saponins using the inner ebullition method. To improve the extraction rate of tea saponin from oil-tea camellia meal, through the single factor test combined with the Plackett-Burman (PB) test, three key factors that significantly affected the extraction rate of tea saponin were obtained: The concentration and dosage of desorption agent, the time of extraction. Then, according to the Box-Behnken (BBD) central combination design principle, the effects of three main factors on the extraction rate of tea saponin were analyzed and evaluated. This study indicated that the theoretical extraction rate of tea saponin could reach 15.19%, when the concentration of ethanol was 85%, the amount of desorption was 25 mL, the desorption time was 30 min, the solid-liquid ratio was 10 mL/g, the extraction time was 15 min, and the extraction temperature at 90 °C. The actual extraction yield of tea saponin was 15.11%, the relative error between the extraction yield and the theoretical value predicted by the model was -0.53%. The study indicates that the extraction process established in this experiment is feasible and can provide theoretical reference for the comprehensive development and utilization of oil-tea camellia meal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]