Category: Oilseed 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…

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…

With demand for U.S. biofuel production continuing to expand, producers are constantly looking for new fuel sources. One relative newcomer is camelina oil, with producers only recently exploring its commercial uses. The camelina oilseed dates back thousands of years to when it was first produced in Northern Europe. Its oil was initially used for food,…

Nearly every seed is protected by an outer covering, or hull, that contains very little fat or protein content. In the oilseed processing industry where fat and protein drive the value of products, removing this hull can help maximize the profits of the other byproducts. But adding dehulling equipment adds operational expenses, so processors must…

Although its history dates back thousands of years to the Bronze Age, camelina is considered a relatively recent oilseed as its commercial uses are just now being discovered. Showing great potential in terms of agronomic and economic value, this novel crop is rapidly gaining traction as producers discover camelina oil’s many benefits and applications. While…

Although canola oil is a common ingredient today in grocery stores, restaurants, and home kitchens, the popular commodity has a relatively short history compared to other oilseeds. Since canola oil first hit the market in the 1970s, canola processing has quickly advanced as crop varieties and pressing methods have evolved. However, canola’s genetic predecessor—rapeseed—has been…

Processing seeds with high oil content demands extra preparation. Instead of sending cleaned, cooked, flaked material straight into the extractor, as with soybeans, oil-rich seeds like canola require additional pre-pressing first. This step is essential to prepare the material for extraction, but the resulting pre-press cake also presents some challenges throughout the extraction process. To…

Most oilseeds only amount to a literal hill of beans until the valuable oil inside is separated from the solid meal through the process of “crushing.” That process lends its name to the calculation of a “crush margin,” which refers to the profit margin that oil millers make. This figure is based on the difference…