There are two edible oil processing methods: oil pressing method and solvent extraction method. The pressing method is a mechanical method derived from the traditional workshop oil production method divided into cold pressing and hot pressing. The solvent extraction process uses solvents to fully contact the oilseeds and extract the oil. What is the difference between different oil processing methods? What is the impact on the quality of cooking oil? The following is the introduction to edible oil processing methods and their differences.

Cold Pressing

Cold pressing is one of the most traditional edible oil processing method, celebrated for preserving the natural nutrients and flavors of the oil. This process involves mechanically pressing seeds or nuts at low temperatures, ensuring the oil remains unrefined and free from chemical additives. Oils like olive, sunflower, and sesame are often cold-pressed, offering a rich taste and health benefits packed with antioxidants and essential fatty acids.

The difference of hot pressing method and cold pressing method

Hot Pressing

The hot pressing process involves pressing the oilseeds using mechanical force. Before pressing, the oilseeds are subjected to high-temperature steaming and frying to control the temperature and moisture, which helps in oil extraction. However, the high temperature can cause the oil to darken and lead to the loss of nutrients such as tocopherols and sterols.

Solvent Extraction

For those seeking efficiency, solvent extraction is a common industrial method. This process uses food-safe solvents to extract oil from the raw material, yielding a high volume of oil. The crude oil then undergoes refining to remove impurities, ensuring a clean and consistent product. Solvent-extracted oils are ideal for large-scale production and are commonly found in everyday cooking oils such as soybean and canola.

Solvent Extraction method

In these three edible oil processing methods, the cold pressing has higher quality and better retention of nutrients, but the oil yield is lower, resulting in higher production costs and higher prices of cold pressing oil. If your final oil requirement on color has strict standard, we suggest you consider using cold pressing method. The quality of hot pressing is slightly worse than that of cold pressed oil, but the oil yield is higher, and because of high temperature frying, the flavor is rich, suitable for processing heavy flavor edible oil. Due to the cooking machine working with high temperature, the final oil smells and tastes best. Solvent extraction method is a method of extracting oil from oilseeds by using internationally recognized and commonly used food-grade solvents based on the principle of extraction in food engineering. This extraction is essentially a physical dissolution process, in which there is no chemical reaction between oil and solvent. The residual oil rate in the extraction meal can be controlled below 1%, with high processing efficiency.

Above is the introduction to edible oil processing methods and their differences. Whether you prioritize health, flavor, or cooking performance, understanding these methods can guide your decisions. Cold-pressed oils are good for salads and condiments, while solvent-extracted refined oils are good for high-temperature cooking. Henan Glory Company has kinds of edible oil processing machines on sale. If you want to know more about edible oil processing machines, or want to invest in edible oil production business, please feel free to contact us. We have rich experience and can provide you with the most professional advice.