Canola oil is made through a process of extracting oil from crushed canola seeds, followed by refining to improve its quality and stability.
Here's a breakdown of the process:
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Seed Preparation: Canola seeds are cleaned and conditioned. This often involves heating them slightly to optimize oil extraction.
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Oil Extraction:
- Solvent Extraction (Most Common): The conditioned seeds are crushed and then flushed with a solvent, typically hexane, to dissolve the oil. The resulting mixture of oil and hexane is then processed to separate the oil, and the hexane is recovered and recycled.
- Cold Pressing: Alternatively, a cold press method can be used. This involves mechanically pressing the seeds to extract the oil without the use of solvents or heat. This method yields a smaller amount of oil, but it is often considered a higher-quality product.
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Refining: Crude canola oil contains impurities that affect its taste, smell, color, and stability. Refining removes these impurities through several steps:
- Degumming: Water precipitation and organic acids are used to remove gums (phospholipids).
- Neutralization: Free fatty acids are removed, often using an alkali solution.
- Bleaching: The oil is filtered to remove color pigments.
- Deodorization: Steam distillation is used to remove volatile compounds that contribute to unwanted odors and flavors.
The final product is refined canola oil, which is characterized by its light color, neutral taste, and high smoke point.
