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Abstract
Traditional solvents are generally volatile organic compounds, harmful for health and environment. Among these solvents, n-hexane is the most recommended solvent for Soxhlet extraction of fatty acids. It is obtained from the petroleum industry and classified as very hazardous. Due to the new drive in the environment protection, such a solvent has to be avoided as much as possible. Therefore, there is increasing interest in new green solvents resulting from renewable raw materials. In this context, the aim of the present study is to investigate the possibility of using alpha-pinene as a substitute solvent to n-hexane for Soxhlet extraction of fatty acids of food products. The results obtained with the two solvents were comparable; however, in addition to being a bio-solvent resulting from renewable raw materials, the efficiency of extracting the fatty acids and a high recycling rate of alpha-pinene make it more interesting, more reliable and safer for the environment.