Vegetable oil is made by extracting oil from oleaginous seeds or fruits. Here's a breakdown of how it's done:
Methods of Vegetable Oil Extraction
There are two primary methods used to extract vegetable oils, according to reference [2]:
-
Mechanical Expelling: This involves physically pressing the oil out of the seeds or fruits.
- The process typically starts with cleaning and preparing the raw material.
- The material is then crushed or flaked to increase the surface area for oil release.
- Heavy mechanical pressure is applied using hydraulic or screw presses to squeeze out the oil.
- The oil is collected and may be filtered or refined further.
-
Solvent Extraction: This method uses chemical solvents to dissolve and extract the oil.
- The raw material is cleaned, prepared, and often flaked.
- A solvent, such as hexane, is used to wash the oil out of the material.
- The solvent is then removed from the oil through evaporation or distillation, leaving behind the vegetable oil.
- This method is often more efficient at extracting a higher percentage of oil compared to mechanical expelling.
Examples of Sources
Here are some common sources of vegetable oil, as mentioned in reference [2]:
- Oleaginous Seeds:
- Soybeans
- Rapeseed
- Sunflower seeds
- Oleaginous Fruits:
- Palm fruit
- Olive fruit
The Role of Vegetable Oil
Vegetable oils and fats are vital parts of our diet and are essential food components [1]. They are used for cooking, baking, and various industrial applications.
Summary Table of Extraction Methods
Method | Description | Efficiency | Common Use |
---|---|---|---|
Mechanical Expelling | Physically pressing oil out of seeds or fruits | Lower | Often used for specialty and cold-pressed oils |
Solvent Extraction | Using solvents to dissolve and extract oil | Higher | More common in large-scale oil production |