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Analysis of the Development and Thermal Properties of Chitosan Nanoparticle-Treated Palm Oil: An Experimental Investigation

Summary

Researchers added tiny chitosan nanoparticles made from mushrooms and marine sources to palm oil used in cooking and frying. They found that mushroom-based chitosan nanoparticles improved the oil’s ability to conduct heat better than marine-sourced alternatives. This enhancement could make cooking faster and more efficient while reducing harmful compounds formed during high-temperature cooking. The oil treated with chitosan nanoparticles maintains good quality and remains safe for food use.

Background

Palm oil is widely used in food processing and frying applications due to its versatility and cost-effectiveness. Nanofluids containing nanoparticles have shown potential for enhancing thermal properties of base fluids. This study explores the use of chitosan nanoparticles derived from both fungal and marine sources to improve the thermal conductivity of refined, bleached, and deodorized (RBD) palm oil.

Objective

To optimize the thermal properties of RBD palm oil by incorporating chitosan nanoparticles (CS-NPs) from different sources and evaluate the impact on thermal conductivity and thermal diffusivity at varying temperatures and weight fractions.

Results

Maximum thermal conductivity enhancement of 7.33% and 4.28% was observed for synthesized fungal-sourced and commercial marine-sourced CS-NPs respectively, both at 0.05 wt.% and 160°C. Fungal-sourced chitosan nanoparticles showed higher enhancement than marine-sourced variants. Thermal diffusivity was also enhanced in both types of nanofluids. Viscosity increased with nanoparticle addition but remained acceptable for food applications.

Conclusion

Chitosan nanoparticle-treated RBD palm oil demonstrates enhanced thermal properties, with fungal-sourced CS-NPs providing superior performance. The optimal concentration is 0.05 wt.% for maximum thermal conductivity enhancement. These biodegradable and biocompatible nanofluids offer promising applications for improving heat transfer efficiency in food industry applications such as frying and cooking.
  • Published in:Nanomaterials (Basel),
  • Study Type:Experimental Investigation,
  • Source: PMID: 40648679, DOI: 10.3390/nano15130972
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