Determination of functional compounds in blue shark (Prionace glauca) liver oil obtained by green technology

Abstract

The objectives of this research were to obtain blue shark liver oil using supercritical CO2 and to characterize the physicochemical parameters of the oil, and the contents of squalene and vitamin A. Supercritical extractions were performed at 50 and 60 °C and pressures from 100 to 300 bar. The oil yield obtained was up to 60% and presented a profile equivalent to that of refined oils for density (0.920 – 0.922 g/mL); viscosity (52.55 – 56.47 Pas.s); refractive index (1.4760 – 1.4785); acid value (1.13 – 2.22% oleic acid); peroxides (10.47 – 24.04 meq of active O2 /kg of oil); saponification value (171.37 – 556.03 mg KOH/g oil), and iodine value (120.05 – 149.21g I2 /100g oil). The fatty acid profile indicated a majority of unsaturated fatty acids. High levels of squalene and vitamin A corroborate the high nutritional quality of this oil from an underexploited by-product with great processing potential.