Sunflower Oil Production Methods: Efficient Pressing and Solvent Extraction Techniques

Sunflower seeds have a high oil content, with kernels containing 45% to 60% oil. The processed sunflower oil is golden yellow, clear, and has a pleasant aroma, making it an important edible oil. It contains essential unsaturated fatty acids, such as linoleic acid, making it a nutritious and healthy oil.

There are two commonly used industrial methods for producing sunflower oil: pressing and solvent extraction. Both methods are widely used and mature, but they produce oils of different qualities.

The difference between pressing and extraction

Pressing method: 

The traditional pressing method uses an oil press to apply physical force to extract oil without adding any other substances. This method retains the oil's nutritional components and flavor, making the oil more popular among consumers. The pressed oil can be processed into various types, such as strong-flavored and light-flavored sunflower oil.

Solvent extraction method:

The solvent extraction method uses organic solvents to dissolve the oil in the seeds. The mixed oil is separated from the solvent through evaporation, steam stripping, and condensation processes. This method fully extracts the oil, increasing the yield and producing low-residual oil cakes, which can be used for protein extraction or feed processing. However, the extracted crude oil contains small amounts of solvent residues and requires refining to remove impurities and harmful substances to meet edible oil standards.

In large sunflower oil processing projects, combining pressing and solvent extraction is more efficient. Sunflower seeds are pre-pressed to extract 80% to 89% of the oil, and the remaining cake is crushed and further extracted using the solvent extraction method. This approach yields high-quality crude oil and high-quality oil cake.

Conclusion: 

Pressing and solvent extraction are the two main methods in the edible oil industry. Oil plants choose the appropriate method and equipment based on the characteristics of the raw materials and actual needs.