Cooking Oil Pressing Line INTRODUCTION

A cooking oil pressing line is an integrated system designed to extract oil from oil-bearing seeds and nuts (like sunflower, rapeseed, peanut, sesame, coconut, etc.) through mechanical means. It's a core part of both small-scale artisan oil production and large-scale industrial facilities (often as a pre-pressing step before solvent extraction).

Final Products of a Pressing Line

1. Crude Edible Oil: The main product. It can be sold as unrefined (e.g., "virgin" or "pure-pressed") oil or sent to a refinery for further processing (degumming, neutralizing, bleaching, deodorizing) to produce a clear, odorless, shelf-stable oil.

2. Press Cake/Oil Meal: The solid by-product. It is rich in protein and is an extremely valuable ingredient for animal feed and livestock fertilizer.

Cooking Oil Pressing Line PROCESS

The process can be broken down into three main stages: Pre-treatment, Pressing, and Oil Filtration & Storage.

1. Pre-Treatment of Seeds/Nuts

Proper pre-treatment is crucial for maximizing oil yield and quality.

• Cleaning & De-stoning

• Dehulling/Decorticating (Optional but common)

• Crushing/Kibbling

• Cooking/Heating (Conditioning)

• Flaking

2. The Pressing Process

This is the core of the line, and the Screw Press (Expeller) is the workhorse of the pressing line. There are two primary types:

• Cold Pressing

Process: The pre-treated seeds are pressed without being cooked. The temperature is kept low (typically below 50°C or 120°F) through controlled, slow pressing in an expeller press.

Result: Produces a high-quality, premium "cold-pressed" or "extra virgin" oil. It retains more of the seed's natural flavor, color, aroma, and nutritional compounds. The yield is lower compared to hot pressing.

• Hot Pressing

Process: Uses the full pre-treatment line, including cooking. The heated meal is fed into a screw press (expeller).

Result: Achieves a much higher oil yield. The oil has a more neutral taste and requires less refining but may lose some heat-sensitive nutrients. This is the standard for most industrial production.

3. Oil Filtration & Storage

The crude oil coming out of the press is called "crude pressed oil." It contains fine solid particles (meal fines) and moisture.

Settling Tanks: The oil is first allowed to sit in tanks, where larger particles settle at the bottom.

Filtration: The oil is then pumped through a series of filters to remove all fine impurities. 

Storage: The filtered, clear oil is stored in bulk tanks (often made of stainless steel) before being bottled, packaged, or sent for further refining.