Oilseed Processing for ATTRA Small-Scale Producers A Publication of ATTRA - National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service • 1-800-346-9140 • www.attra.ncat.org By Al Kurki The many varieties of seeds and nuts can produce oils for food, nutraceuticals, skin care products, NCAT Agriculture aromatherapies, biodiesel fuels, and industrial lubricants. This publication profiles the evolution of a Specialist cold-pressing and consulting business in the U.S. It also describes the basic processes involved in oil and Janet Bachmann processing: seed cleaning, extraction, clarification, packaging, and storage. Sources for more informa- ©2006 NCAT tion and equipment are included. value to grape seeds, which are usually waste products. Farmers and small-business owners are ask- Contents ing whether it is possible and profitable to Introduction ..................... 1 add value to their seeds and nuts by extract- Getting Started .............. 1 ing the oil. This is not an easy question to Basic Processing answer because there are so many variables, Steps .................................. 2 some of which are noted in the first section of Adding Value Adds this publication. Costs ................................... 3 Sunflower Seed Oil Most oil processing in the U.S. is done on Using the Ram Press ..... 4 a large industrial scale, and the processes Other Oil Presses ........... 6 use proprietary information. Small-scale oil References ....................... 7 extraction is more commonplace in other Further Resources ......... 7 parts of the world; thus many of the useful resource materials and much of the appro- priate-scale machinery come from other countries. This publication describes the basic process, with additional details on producing oil from sunflower seeds and Oil bitter almond from apricot sources for additional information. kernels. ©2006clipart.com Introduction Getting Started he culinary oils listed in a recent nat- Consultant E. Peter Matthies has been ural foods catalog include—in addi- involved with pressing oil from seeds Ttion to olive oil—sesame, safflower, and nuts for more than a decade. Mat- sunflower, grape seed, canola, apricot ker- thies now lives in Germany but makes fre- nel, coconut, hazelnut, peanut, pumpkin, quent trips to the U.S. Matthies notes that and walnut oils. Advertisements for these every circumstance requires a different ATTRA—National Sustainable culinary oils tout their health benefits and approach. He suggests asking yourself the Agriculture Information Service unique flavors. Some of these plant-derived following questions. is managed by the National Cen- oils can be used to make soap, body and ter for Appropriate Technology • Why do I want to get into oil pro- (NCAT) and is funded under a hair oils, detergents, and paints. Some can grant from the United States cessing? Will it be a hobby or a new also be used to make industrial lubricants. Department of Agriculture’s economic enterprise? Rural Business-Cooperative Ser- A wide range of oilseeds and other oil pro- vice. Visit the NCAT Web site (www.ncat.org/agri. ducing plants are high quality feedstocks for • How big will the operation be? html) for more informa- biodiesel. Oilseed processing expands the tion on our sustainable • How many different products will agriculture projects. ���� use of crops such as sunflowers and brings be made, including both oil and the press cake left after the oil has Later I became known for the special qual- been pressed out of the raw seeds ity of the truly cold pressed oil (less than or nuts? 90° F) and I was asked to test various vari- • Do I want to target mass markets or eties of certain products, such as grape specialty markets? seed oil from different grapes, like an oil ‘a la Merlot’ or ‘a la Pinot Noir.’ I produced • What geographical area do I want oil on contract for several companies until to cover? they had established their own markets, Matthies described how he got into this at which point they acquired their own new “oil business” after retiring from the production plants. petroleum business. Small scale operators, who consider oils as a “Upon my retirement I started to ranch/ sideline, might be able to sell to local shops raise cattle in Western Colorado. A pro- and restaurants. Health spas are always in fessor at Colorado State University sug- need of special oils. Make sure you have a gested that I plant alfalfa and rotate it with good name for your product and present the canola rather than other small grains. With oils in appealing containers. a press I would get some oil and the Related ATTRA In regard to pricing, find out what other Publications by-product (press cake) would also have people charge and see if you can live with economic value. Adding Value to Farm that. Or concentrate on high price mar- Products: An When I found the special “cold press” kets like certified organic stores or Kosher. Overview equipment in Germany I purchased a cou- Prices for the same oil are different in dif- Keys to Success in ple of presses and got started. I learned ferent parts of the country. Can you be Value-Added from the equipment company representa- competitive at those rates? Can you sell just Agriculture tives about other oils from hazelnuts, pea- under those rates and still be economical? Certified organic and Kosher cost extra for Grain Processing: nuts, walnuts, macadamia nuts, to sesame, Adding Value to Farm sunflower, hemp, Saw Palmetto, and oth- inspection in addition to the installation and Products ers and started to make oils. I also tried operation of the plant. Is the market large enough to pay for the higher costs? Soyfoods: Adding some very special oils, like coffee oil and Value to Soybeans oil from dried orange peels. I went to some I believe there is no sure fire way in all of the big shows and met marketing and Food Dehydration parts of the country. But one thing is neces- Options distributing people. I furnished them with sary wherever you are: You’ve got to go out samples and received substantial orders. I and toot your horn!”(Matthies, 2004) Biodiesel—A Primer shipped anywhere from one gallon contain- Note that Matthies mentions contract pro- Biodiesel: The Sustain- ers to 55 gallon drums. A local cattle feed ability Dimensions lot sent their truck twice a month to pick up cessing as a way to get started without set- any press cake that I didn’t use for my own ting up your own processing facility. Badger Alternative Agronomic Oil in Spooner, Wisconsin, is one company Crops horses and cattle. that will do this, and also provide con- Evaluating a Rural Slowly my name became known by word- sulting services if you decide to invest in Enterprise of-mouth. People sent me different seeds your own plant. Contact information is in or nuts to test for oil content and for Further Resources. the taste and value of such oils. Through a Web page I attracted universities and Basic Processing Steps other companies. Some people who bought the special Komet Raw Material Preparation presses from me concentrated on special Preparation of the raw material often markets, such as hemp seed oil in Canada, includes removing husks or seed coats from or grape seed oils from wineries, or certain the seeds and separating the seeds from immigrant groups who like special oils they the chaff. Information about seed cleaners were used to from their home country. designed for small-scale operations is often Page 2 ATTRA Oilseed Processing for Small-Scale Producers available from agricultural research sta- Clarification tions doing small plot research with various Clarification removes contaminants, such as crops. For instance, the U.S. Department fine pulp, water, and resins. You can clar- of Agriculture (USDA) researchers work- ify oil by allowing it to stand undisturbed ing with flax in North Dakota buy some of for a few days and then removing the upper their equipment from Seedburo, which will layer. If it needs further clarification, filter supply a catalog upon request. Almaco is the oil through a fine filter cloth. Finally, another company that specializes in equip- you can heat the oil to drive off traces of ment for research, such as one- and two-row water and destroy any bacteria. Having a test plot combines and various types of sta- very clean oil is very important in all uses, tionary threshers. See Further Resources including biodiesel. for contact information and additional sources of equipment. Packaging and Storage Use clean, dry containers to package and Extraction store oils and help prevent rancidity. Sealed Oil can be extracted mechanically with glass or plastic bottles are adequate. Col- an oil press, an expeller, or even with a ored containers in a dark box help to il can be wooden mortar and pestle—a traditional increase shelf life. The shelf life of oil is extracted method that originated in India. Presses usually 6 to 12 months, if it is properly mechani- range from small, hand-driven models that packaged and kept away from heat and sun- O cally with an oil an individual can build to power-driven light. (Fellows and Hampton, 1992) commercial presses. Expellers have a rotat- press, an expeller, or ing screw inside a horizontal cylinder that Adding Value Adds Costs even with a wooden is capped at one end. The screw forces the mortar and pestle— Although value-added processing can be seeds or nuts through the cylinder, gradu- a way to increase a farmer’s share of the a traditional method ally increasing the pressure. The material farm product dollar, adding value doesn’t that originated in is heated by friction and/or electric heaters. come free. At each step, the farmer is add- India.