What is the difference between pressing technology and solvent extraction technology of cooking oil ? Which one is the best?

Many people are curious about what is the difference between pressing technology and solvent extraction technology of cooking oil and which one is the best. Today, the difference between pressing technology and solvent extraction technology are mainly in terms of processing technique, raw materials and oil yield etc. If you are interested, please read on!

Different in processing technique

The pressing technology is a physical method of pressing oil seeds with the help of human or mechanical means to squeeze the oil out. The pressing technology involves cleaning, crushing, flaking, cooking and pressing to squeeze the oil out. While the solvent extraction technology is a chemical extraction method, using the mutual solubility of oil seeds and selected solvent - hexane to extract crude oil. It is currently recognized as the international advanced and excellent processing technology.

Different in raw materials

The pressing technology and solvent extraction technology of cooking oil are applicable for different raw materials respectively. The pressing technology is mainly applicable to the processing of high oil content oil seeds (such as peanuts, sunflower seeds, rapeseed etc.) or the processing of oil seeds that require the retention of the specific flavour. (such as peanut oil, sesame oil, etc.) While the solvent extraction technology is suitable to the production of low oil content oil seeds. (such as soybeans, rice bran etc.) This technology has the overwhelming advantages of high oil yield, large processing capacity and high degree of automation.

Different in oil yield

The two processing technologies are also different in terms of oil yield. The residual oil in the cake after pressing by using the pressing technology is relatively higher, at 7-8%. Instead, using the solvent extraction technology to extract oil, the residual oil rate in the cake can be controlled at less than 1%.

As for which one is the best, each processing technology has its own characteristics and advantages. It is not possible to say which processing technology is the best, as the saying goes, fitness is the best. Although the press technology has a higher residual oil rate compared to the solvent extraction technology , it has lower investment costs.