Vegetable oils
PEF for vegetable oil extraction
Product examples: Olive oil, nut oil, citrus oil, maize germ oil
Aim PEF treatment: Cell disintegration, resulting in improved fermentation processes by controlled release and higher extraction yields
Fermentation and extraction of olives
PEF treatment can be applied to raw olives at ambient temperature, leading to a softening of the olive tissue. Main advantages of the tissue softening are easier olive fermentation and improved cold extraction of the oil. The physical treatment enhances both oil quality and yield. The necessary field strength for olive treatment ranges from 1,0 to 3,0 kV/cm and the energy delivery is 3 to 10 kJ/kg.
Maize germ oil
PEF treatment both enhances the extraction of maize germ oil and increases the amount of phytosterols in the raw material. To induce an increase of phytosterols only mild treatment of maize germs is required. See also: Phytochemicals.
Cotton seed oil
Pulsed electric field processing enhances the oil extraction of cotton seeds at ambient temperature by oil pressing. PEF is a physical treatment to obtain a higher yield. A field strength of 1.0 – 2.0 kV/cm and energy delivery of 10 – 20 kJ/kg is required.
Benefits PEF
- Increased oil extraction yield
- Higher process efficiency
- Improved oil quality
- Increased amounts of phytosterols
More information
Pulsemaster has developed industrial scale equipment – named Conditioner – with treatment capacities up to 50,000 kg/h (110,000 lb/h) for cell disintegration.