What is an oil press

Definition: An oil press is a mechanical device that extracts oil from oily plant seeds (such as peanuts, rapeseed, sesame, sunflower, corn germ, coconut, palm kernel, soybean, etc.) through physical pressure or chemical methods. It replaces the inefficient traditional manual oil pressing mode and becomes the core tool for modern edible oil production.

Core role:

• Efficient oil extraction: The residual oil rate can be as low as 5% -8% (manual pressing residual oil rate can reach 15% -20%)
• Retain nutrients: Cold pressing technology can avoid high temperature damage to vitamins and antioxidants in oils
• Scale adaptation: covering home workshops to industrial production lines (daily processing capacity of 50kg-50 tons)

How does the oil press work? Revealing the three mainstream technologies

Screw Oil Press

• Principle: By rotating and squeezing oil through a spiral shaft, the pressure can reach 50MPa (equivalent to 500 atmospheres)
• Advantages: High oil efficiency, low residual oil rate (≤ 8%), suitable for high-oil crops such as peanuts and rapeseed
• Representative model: Commercial fully automatic spiral oil press (PLC intelligent control)

Hydraulic Oil Press

• Principle: Using a hydraulic system to push the piston to apply pressure, the pressure is stable but the cycle is long
• Advantages: Low oil temperature (≤ 60 ℃), suitable for high-end oils such as cold-pressed walnut oil and flaxseed oil
• Representative model: Laboratory-grade low-temperature oil pressing equipment

Solvent leaching method

• Principle: Dissolve the grease in the oil with n-hexane, and then recover the solvent through evaporation
• Advantages: Residual oil rate < 1%, industrial-grade high-yield preferred (mainly soybean oil and corn oil)
• Dispute point: Solvent residue needs to be strictly tested (national standard requirement ≤ 50ppm)

Is cold-pressed oil really healthier?

Data comparison revealed

1 .Cold press vs Hot press:Core differences, indicators, cold-pressed oil (≤ 60 ℃), hot-pressed oil (120-180 ℃)

Nutritional components, vitamin E retention rate ≥ 90%, high temperature destruction of more than 30%, flavor, retaining natural fruity aroma, producing a burnt aroma (Maillard reaction)

Oil yield, low (requires high-quality raw materials), increased by 15% -20%. Applicable oils include sesame, flaxseed, olive, peanut, rapeseed, and soybean

2. Is the high price of cold-pressed oil reasonable?

Cost factor: The price of cold press is 30% -50% higher than that of hot press, and low moisture content raw materials need to be selected

Health Premium: Cold-pressed oil contains 2-3 times more polyphenols than hot-pressed oil (with stronger antioxidant capacity)

How to choose a suitable oil press for oneself?

Customize production volume according to customer requirements.

Hydraulic Oil Press Parameters

What oilseeds can an oil press process?

• Soybeans: Oil yield approximately 15%-20%. The extracted soybean oil is a common cooking oil.
• Peanuts: Oil yield approximately 40%-50%. Peanut oil has a rich aroma and is suitable for high-temperature cooking.
• Rapeseed: Oil yield approximately 35%-45%. Rapeseed oil contains unsaturated fatty acids and is suitable for stir-frying.
• Sunflower seeds: Oil yield approximately 30%-45%. Sunflower oil is rich in vitamin E and suitable for cold dressings.
• Cotton seeds: Oil yield approximately 15%-25%. Requires detoxification before consumption; widely used in industrial applications.
• Flaxseeds: Oil yield approximately 30%-40%. Flaxseed oil is rich in omega-3 fatty acids and suitable for low-temperature consumption.
• Walnuts: Oil yield approximately 50%-65%. Walnut oil is nutrient-rich and suitable for infant and toddler complementary foods.
• Olives: Oil yield approximately 15%-25%. Olive oil is primarily composed of monounsaturated fatty acids and is suitable for cold dishes.
• Coconut: Oil yield approximately 60%-70%. Coconut oil is high in saturated fatty acids and suitable for baking.
• Corn Germ: Oil yield approximately 25%-30%. Corn oil is suitable for high-temperature cooking.

Future Trend of Oil Press: Intelligent and Green

• IoT upgrade: 50% of oil presses will support remote monitoring by 2025 (e.g., real-time view of residual oil rate, equipment health status).
• Zero-emission technology: exhaust gas purification (activated carbon filtration) + oil residue recycling (feed/biofuel) becomes standard
• The Miniaturization Revolution: The Rise of Community Shared Oil Pressing Stations, Where Consumers Can Bring Their Own Raw Materials and Pick Them Up On The Go

• Data: Retention rate of vitamin E in cold pressed oil >90%

Summary Recommendations

what is an oil press? It is an essential machine that uses mechanical force to extract oil from seeds and nuts. The two main types, spiral and hydraulic, each have unique advantages.

The spiral press is a continuous, high-capacity machine perfect for industrial production of common cooking oils. The hydraulic press is a batch machine ideal for producing smaller quantities of premium, cold-pressed specialty oils.

Choosing the correct press depends on your production scale, the type of oil you want to make, and your budget. Understanding these basics is the key to making a smart investment and building a successful oil production business from the start.