Micro-aqueous hydration extraction for green and sustainable production of high-quality edible oils

Conventional edible oil extraction technologies suffer from low recovery, solvent residues, environmental pollution and nutrient degradation, while emerging aqueous-based methods face challenges such as higher water consumption, severe emulsification, and high costs, with the manifestations of these issues being highly dependent on raw material sources. Micro-aqueous hydration extraction (MAHE), a novel solvent-free, non-thermal green technology, achieves efficient oil separation via precise control of water addition and agitation intensity, leveraging the differential water affinity of oil and non-oil components under mild conditions. Core mechanisms include membrane protein rearrangement, storage protein aggregation-mediated system destabilization, and agitation-induced oil droplet coalescence. MAHE offers 90-95% recovery for most oilseeds, saves over 70% water vs. aqueous enzymatic extraction, avoids solvent residues, and preserves heat-sensitive nutrients. Limitations involve low efficiency for low-oil (<30%)/high-fiber materials, emulsification risk, and customized industrial equipment need. Future research should focus on intelligent optimization, hybrid pre-treatments, and industrial trials for commercialization.