Production of bio-diesel from Pithraj (Aphanamixis polystachya) seed oil

The Pithraj seed has been collected from Gazipur district, Bangladesh. The oil from the seed was extracted by using Soxhlet apparatus using petroleum ether extraction method. Maximum yield of oil was found to be 50 % when the process was carried out for 2.5 hours. The physicochemical properties of the extracted oil were studied. The properties of the oil reveal that the oil corresponds to diesel except acid value and sulphur content. The optimum conditions of the transesterification of the oil was 40% ethanol and 0.45% KOH at 75 0C for 1.5 hours. The optimum yield was more than 95 %.Bangladesh J. Sci. Ind. Res. 50(2), 135-142, 2015

Collaborative Study of the Determination of Fat in Intermediate Moisture Pet Foods

Four different semimoist pet food formulations representing a cross section of commercial products were studied collaboratively for fat content by 2 methods. Ten laboratories participated in the study. Direct petroleum ether extraction by AOAC method 7.045 yielded low and variable fat recovery. AOAC acid hydrolysis method 7.047 for fat in baked dog foods was satisfactory for semimoist pet foods. The method, with some editorial changes, was adopted as official first action for this type of pet food.