Although large-scale soybean processors dominate the commodity vegetable oil markets, these solvent extraction plants can’t produce organic products because of the hazardous chemicals they use. So, while small-scale mechanical oil mills may not be able to compete in terms of overall production volume or oil recovery rates, they can differentiate themselves by specializing in organic…
Maximize Profits with Peanut Oil Extraction
Peanuts dominate as the most popular nut in America, where each person eats more than seven pounds per year on average. While Americans tend to favor this snack as a spreadable nut butter, this tasty seed is popular around the world as a versatile ingredient rich in protein, fiber, and oil. Although peanuts are most…
The Economics of Oil Seed Cleaning
Sticks and stones may not break your bones, but they can certainly wreak havoc on an oil seed processing plant. No matter what material you process or which market you serve, the quality of the seeds you crush determines the quality of the oil and other byproducts. Foreign objects can impede this process and degrade…
The Trick to Deactivating Soybean Trypsin Inhibitor
As the primary source of protein in most animal feed formulations, soybean is highly valued for its unique amino acid profile as a low-cost nutrient supply. Unfortunately, as nutritional as soybean can be, it also contains some anti-nutritional factors that can harm animals and humans. The most problematic enzyme, soybean trypsin inhibitor, must be properly…
Pressure Leaf Filter vs. Decanter Centrifuge: Which Oil Filtration System is the Best?
The ultimate goal of pressing oilseeds is to separate the oil from the solid seed material. Even in the most efficient processing plants, the oil leaving the press could still contain up to 10-20% solids by weight, which impacts the final product quality. Processors have a few options to remove these remaining particles and clarify…
Overcoming the Processing Challenges of Cottonseed Oil
Around the world, cotton is primarily grown to make the fluffy white fiber found in bedsheets, t-shirts, and blue jeans. For most of this crop’s history, the seeds were just a byproduct of textile production—even though the plants produce twice as much seed as fiber. It wasn’t until the early 20th century that processors began…
Palm Oil vs. Palm Kernel Oil: Two Everyday Products From the Same Tree
From the grocery aisles to the cosmetic counter, about half of all packaged goods on retail shelves today contain a byproduct from the oil palm. This tropical tree supplies not one but two of the world’s most versatile vegetable oils used to make ice cream creamy, crackers crispy, soaps bubbly, and much more. Although palm…
Breaking Down the Basics of Copra Oil Processing
Every single part of the coconut serves a purpose, earning the versatile plant its nickname as the “Tree of Life.” The husk provides fiber or coir used in ropemaking, the hard woody shell can be burned for charcoal, and the edible meat and water inside are consumed worldwide. But the most valuable byproduct of this…
Extend your Crushing Capabilities with Oilseed Toll Processing
Oilseed processing can be a massive undertaking between all the industrial equipment, specialized expertise, and intricate steps required to run a pressing plant. To tap into these capabilities quickly with less cost and reduced risk, companies may outsource their crushing operation to a toll processing partner instead. By paying an oilseed toll processor to crush…