Oil Extraction Methods

11 Mar.,2024

 

The common point of the oil extraction sector, which is obtained from natural and herbal products, is oil press machines. The use of cold press oil machines in oil extraction has increased considerably in recent years. The biggest advantage of using the cold pressing method is to obtain the highest quality oil product. For this reason, oil press machines and high quality oil extraction process are widely used in many industrial facilities. Plants such as olive, almond, sesame, and black cumin are the most common oil extracted products.

In this article, you will learn the working principles of oil extraction machine products.

What is Oil Extraction?

Oil extraction or pressing is the process that finally sees the appearance of a product close to the oil we know. There are different techniques to complete this stage of oil production.

Seed oil extraction is a natural agro-food conversion process whose purpose is to extract oil from plant kernels. This transformation, which takes place in a machine called an oil press machine, takes place in two basic stages: pressing (grinding or pressing) the seed and then separating the oily part from the other components.

Oil extraction is done by three different methods;

  1. Cold extraction
  2. Hot extraction
  3. Solvent extraction
What Is Oil Extraction

1. Cold Extraction (Cold Press Oil Extraction)

Cold pressing is the mechanical process of pressing the seeds without adding hot water or heating the seed itself.

As a method of oil extraction, cold pressing (to be specified on the label) is undoubtedly the most natural and provides a superior quality product that preserves the properties of the product from which it is derived. Usually the oil is not oxidized and has excellent organoleptic properties.

Labels always say “obtained by mechanical procedures”, which can be added depending on the extraction method used: “cold pressed”.

In general, the cold press operates at temperatures no higher than 27°C. And this guarantees the best quality of the extracted oil, even at the expense of not very high yield. Cold press oil extraction machines produce an oil rich in aroma and antioxidants. The cold press oil extraction method focuses on the quality of the final product. With cold extraction, oil is produced in such a way that thermal conditions do not cause any change in this valuable food ingredient. The best quality oils are obtained by extraction and only mechanical processes. Starting from the color, aroma and composition of each oil, its properties may vary depending on the planting place and the type of seed used.

According to the researches, cold pressing:

  • improves oil quality,
  • increases the color and fruity aroma of the oil,
  • Polyphenols, which are excellent natural oxidizers, do not disperse in waste water, improving oil preservation.

Cold extraction is the mechanical process in which the seed is sent to the “Decanter” which extracts the different phases based on the physical principle of centrifugation and the density difference.

Cold Press Oil Extraction

2. Hot Extraction (Hot Press Oil Extraction)

The hot press is achieved by heating the seed with hot water during oil extraction, raising the seed temperature to 29 – 30°C and keeping it at the correct humidity level. At these temperatures, some enzymes naturally found in seeds are activated and they can break down the oil-water emulsion. These enzymes mean that much more control of the process by the operator is required so as not to alter the product. Hot press oil extraction allows higher oxidation and more thorough processing of seeds. In this case, oil extraction is supported by a chemical-physical process, resulting in higher yields.

Hot pressing with temperatures close to the boiling temperature of the oil involves the oxidation and loss of essential substances and the destruction of so-called unsaturated oils. Therefore, the oil obtained is not edible. Processes such as acid removal, color change, odor removal are applied in oil extraction with hot press.

The hot pressed oil (in which the seeds are preheated) as well as the oil obtained from a second pressing (ie from previously pressed seeds) must therefore undergo a refining process.

3. Solvent Extraction

Extraction of oil with solvents is carried out on hot extraction residues to recover the trapped oil.

The seeds are crushed and immersed in an organic solvent, usually a low molecular weight hydrocarbon such as hexane or heptane, with slow motions; the temperature is raised to 150°C and the solvent is evaporated; The oil is filtered under pressure and sent for refining, while the residues of the seeds are recovered and turned into flour.

What Is The Best Oil Extraction Method?

After talking about the various methods of oil extraction, it is useful to end with a recommendation. One of the repeated questions in these situations is “which oil to choose?”.

The oil that provides the greatest benefit to human health is cold pressed oil, which is considered the best oil worldwide. Especially when consumed raw, cold pressed oil should always be preferred in our diet. Different oils can be used for frying, which have a higher smoke point and a lower risk of spoilage. In any case, whatever our choice, remember to choose only cold-pressed oils for raw consumption. Cold pressed oil is more expensive than others, but definitely healthier for consumers.

Advantages of Cold Press Oil

The first cold press oil extraction allows extracting the content found in the fruit while maintaining the amount of substances rich in minerals, vitamins and antioxidant properties for the body. This method is used to obtain the best quality vegetable oil according to the directives.

The best possible oil quality for both food and cosmetics is therefore achieved by cold pressing.

Cold pressed is the best type of natural vegetable oil. Its acidity degree is lower than other oils.

Certified organic oils can only be obtained by mechanical pressure (hot or cold) of the seeds: therefore, an oil obtained by solvent extraction can never be considered organic.

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