Expeller-pressed processing
Along with the market’s growing interest in simpler ingredients comes the desire for minimally processed foods. In the fats and oils sector, expeller-pressed oils are gaining momentum.
This method for extracting oils from seeds is not new. In fact, it was the most popular technique used in the early 1900s. It relies on continuous heavy pressure applied to seeds until their native oils seep out.
“It was the most efficient method at the time, recovering up to 70% of the oil from soybeans,” said Brain Anderson, vice-president of marketing and innovation, Bunge. “Then in 1941, Germany invented a new method for extracting oil from seeds by using solvents.” Solvent extraction is more efficient than expeller, yielding up to 99% of the oil, and can operate at higher capacities.
“As manufacturers have been looking to more natural options, they are moving to expeller-pressed oils over solvent or chemically extracted oils,” Ms. Tesch said. “To assist, we offer expeller-pressed oils including non-genetically modified and organic canola, corn, sunflower and coconut oils.”
Today, this old technique, turned new again, appeals to a market that eschews chemical-based methods, according to Mr. Anderson. “Good things come back around,” he said. “Consumers associate the expeller-pressed label with premium products.
“It’s no coincidence that the expeller-pressed market is expanding at the same time as more and more companies are bringing transparency to all the ingredients they use, from where they’re grown to how they’re processed to how they reach people’s tables,” Mr. Anderson continued. “In using this type of oil, a company conveys its willingness to apply an even more critical eye toward the detailed steps that go into crafting quality foods.”
Bunge offers expeller-pressed frying oils, pan sprays and liquid butter alternatives that are free from cholesterol, trans fats and artificial preservatives. The oils come in canola, cottonseed, soy and sunflower varieties with non-GMO and organic options.
“Expeller-pressed high-oleic sunflower and safflower oils are heat- and shelf-stable oils derived from seeds produced through traditional plant breeding methods,” said Ramesh Reddy, customer innovation manager, AAK USA Inc. “These oils are exceptionally high in monounsaturated fats, with a typical oleic acid content of greater than 80% for sunflower oil and greater than 75% for safflower oil.”
Dow AgroSciences partnered with Viterra to offer expeller-pressed high-oleic non-GMO canola oil. It contains a minimum 70% oleic acid and a maximum 3% linoleic acid. It is manufactured using a double expeller-pressed process that maintains the natural nutritional value, according to the company. It is clear in color and bland in flavor with a pleasant aroma.
Read on to learn about tropical oils.
