OIL-SEEDS

OIL-SEEDS COMPRISES AN ESSENTIAL PART OF OUR COUNTRIES ECONOMY. INDIA OCCUPIES A PROMINENT POSITION IN THE WORLD. BOTH REGARD TO AVERAGE AND PRODUCTION BY PRODUCING AN AVERAGE 20 MILLION TONNES OF OIL-SEEDS EVERY YEAR.

INDIA IMPARTS OUT OF WORLD RS. 12000 CRORES EVERY YEAR. THE PER CAPITA AVAILABILITY OF OIL AND FAT IN INDIA IS ABOUT 5KG WHICH IS FAR BELOW THAN RECOMMENDED AVERAGE REQUIREMENT OF 18KG. THE IMPROVEMENT IN OIL MILLING TECHNOLOGY CAN CERTAINLY CONTRIBUTE TO INCREASE AVAILABILITY OF EDIBLE OILS.

THE MAJOR OIL SEEDS ARE- OLIVE SEEDS, SUNFLOWER, COTTON SEEDS, GROUNDNUT, COCONUT AND MUSTARD SEED ETC.

OIL EXTRACTION:-

TO SUIT SPECIFIC CONDITIONS ONE OF THE THREE BASIC METHODS CAN BE MODIFIED OR COMBINED TO OBTAIN OIL FROM OIL SEEDS. COMMERCIALLY BASIC METHODS ARE-

1- BASIC HYDROLIC PRESSING:-

IN THIS OIL IS EXPRESSED BY HYDROLIC PRESSURE FROM MASS OF OIL BEARING MATERIAL.

2- CONTINUOUS MECHANICAL PRESSING:-

IN THIS THE OIL BEARING MATERIAL IS SQUEEZED THROUGH A TAPOURING OUTLET, BEING EXPRESSED BY THE INCREASING PRESSURE.

3- SOLVENT EXTRACTION:-

IN THIS OIL BEARING MATERIAL IS TAKE INTO SOLUTION WITH A SOLVENT. THE SOLUTION IS SEPARATED FROM INSOLUBLE RESIDUE AND OIL RECOVERED FROM THE SOLVENT SOLUTION. THE COMBINATION OF THESE PROCESS IS COMMERCIAL.

OPERATIONS ARE CONTINUOUS, MECHANICAL PRESSING (EXPELLING) WITH CONTINUOUS SOLVENT EXTRACTION AND BATCH HYDRAULIC PRESSING AND SOLVENT EXTRACTION WITH THE EXCEPTION OF COASTER WHICH REQUIRES SPECIAL TREATMENT AND EQUIPMENT CLEANING PROCEDURES AND OTHER OIL SEEDS CAN BE SIMILARLY PROCESSED.