Why crude oil from extraction equipment can't be consumed directly?

The extraction process plays a very important role in the entire oil extraction process. The principle of extracting oil using extraction equipment is to extract the oil from the raw material using a solvent to form mixed oil. Then, utilizing the different boiling points of the oil and the solvent, the solvent is evaporated, condensed, recovered, and separated from the oil to obtain crude oil from extraction. 

The main reasons why the crude oil extracted by extraction equipment cannot be used directly for consumption are as follows:

Solvent Residue: 

The principle of oil extraction using solvents involves breaking down the raw material and pressing it into pieces or expanding it, then using an organic solvent to dissolve and extract the oil. During this process, a part of the chemical solvent inevitably remains in the crude oil, which may negatively impact human health. Therefore, crude oil cannot be consumed directly without refining to remove the solvent residue.

High Impurity Content: 

Crude oil contains many impurities that affect the color, flavor, and possibly health. These include:

Gum-soluble impurities: 

These can darken the oil and make it cloudy, affecting storage and processing.

Free fatty acids: 

They can give oil a pungent smell and are less stable to heat and oxygen, promoting oxidation.

Moisture: 

Excess water speeds up oxidation and deteriorates oil quality.

Solvent residue: 

Contact with the solvent during extraction leaves small amounts in the oil.

Harmful substances: 

This includes aflatoxin, pesticide residues, heavy metal pollution, and other harmful elements.

Harmful Substance Pollution: 

Crude oil may contain pesticide residues, heavy metal pollution, and other harmful substances from the raw materials or processing, posing potential health risks.

Prone to Oxidation and Deterioration:

 Due to the high content of unsaturated fatty acids and other easily oxidizable components, crude oil is very prone to oxidation and spoilage, making it unsuitable for long-term storage. During storage, further harmful substances may be generated, reducing food safety.

Huatai Machinery reminds you: To ensure the safety and quality of oil, crude oil must be refined to remove harmful components and impurities before it can become edible oil that meets food safety standards. The refining process includes degumming, deacidification, decolorization, deodorization, dewaxing, etc., effectively improving the quality and safety of the oil.