This article delves deep into the working principle of sunflower oil pressing machinery, with a focus on exploring the influence of pressure and temperature control on the vitamin E content and oil quality. Aimed at small - and medium - sized edible oil processing plants and health - conscious diet consumers, it elaborates on the advantages of physical pressing, analyzes key parameter settings and process optimization methods, and solves common production problems, thus providing practical guidance for improving the quality of sunflower oil.
The sunflower oil pressing machinery operates based on a well - defined principle. First, sunflower seeds are fed into the machine. During the pressing process, mechanical force is applied to squeeze out the oil from the seeds. The entire process can be divided into several stages, including pre - treatment of raw materials, primary pressing, and secondary refining. For example, in the pre - treatment stage, sunflower seeds need to be cleaned, dried, and crushed to a certain particle size. Usually, the moisture content of sunflower seeds should be controlled between 8% - 12% to ensure better pressing results.
Pressure and temperature are two crucial factors in the sunflower oil pressing process. High pressure can increase the oil yield, but excessive pressure may damage the structure of vitamin E and other nutritional components. Studies have shown that when the pressure exceeds 50 MPa, the loss rate of vitamin E can reach up to 20%. Temperature also plays a significant role. High - temperature pressing can accelerate the oil extraction process, but it may also cause oxidation of vitamin E. When the temperature reaches 120°C, the oxidation rate of vitamin E can increase by 30% compared with low - temperature pressing.
There are mainly three types of sunflower oil pressing processes: physical pressing, solvent extraction, and cold pressing. Physical pressing is a mechanical method that does not use any chemical solvents, which can better retain the natural flavor and nutritional value of sunflower oil. Solvent extraction has a high oil yield, but it may leave traces of solvents in the oil. Cold pressing is carried out at a relatively low temperature, which can maximally preserve the nutritional components, but the oil yield is relatively low. The following table shows a detailed comparison:
| Pressing Process | Oil Yield | Nutritional Retention | Flavor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Physical Pressing | Medium (about 35% - 40%) | High | Natural |
| Solvent Extraction | High (about 45% - 50%) | Low | May have solvent odor |
| Cold Pressing | Low (about 30% - 35%) | Very High | Fresh |
Based on industry experience, here are some practical tips for small - and medium - sized edible oil processing plants. First, in the pre - treatment stage, ensure the proper cleaning and drying of sunflower seeds. Second, during the pressing process, control the pressure between 30 - 40 MPa and the temperature between 80 - 100°C to balance the oil yield and vitamin E retention. When facing problems such as low oil yield or poor oil quality, check the equipment for wear and tear, and adjust the process parameters in time.
According to industry experts, "The optimization of the sunflower oil pressing process is a continuous improvement process. Small - and medium - sized enterprises should focus on the balance between oil yield and nutritional retention. Physical pressing is a very promising method, but it requires strict control of process parameters."
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