Oil extraction cardamom seed (Amomum compactum) by microwave hydro-diffusion and gravity method: Optimization using box-behnken design

Local cardamom (Amomum compactum) has the potential to produce essential oils suitable for use in pharmaceutical products. The Microwave Hydro-diffusion and Gravity (MHG) is an efficient method for extracting cardamom oil, known for its high production rate and relatively fast extraction time. The aim of this research is to extract oil from cardamom seeds using MHG, identify optimal extraction conditions, and study the interaction effects between independent variables using Response Surface Methodology (RSM) with a Box-Behnken Design (BBD). The operating conditions of the extraction process included variations in the feed-to-distiller ratio (w/v) (0.15, 0.175, 0.2 g/ml), microwave power (300, 450, 600 W), and extraction time (20, 100, 180 minutes). The results show that the optimal conditions for extracting cardamom oil using the MHG method are a feed-to-distiller ratio of 0.2, microwave power of 600 W, and a extraction time of 180 minutes. This optimization significantly increases the efficiency and effectiveness of the cardamom oil extraction process, thereby contributing to advances in essential oil extraction technology.