Seed library

 
The sunflower is a large annual plant with flowers grouped in large flower heads. This plant is widely cultivated for its seeds, which are rich in good quality edible oil. Along with rapeseed and olive, sunflower is one of the three main sources of edible oil in Europe.

 

story About...

From the latin name « Helianthus Annuus » (family Asteraceae and genus Helianthus)
Alternative names: Tournesol oléique or oléisols
Origin: North America
Description: seed
Oil content: 42 to 48% or 50-55% for oleic sunflower
Colour: light yellow

 

Uses of oils and meals

Food, biofuel, lubrication, soap, varnish

 

Extraction characteristics

  • Process: 

    Cold pressing (whole seed pressing)
    Hot pressing (flattening - thermal conditioning - press or extrusion pressing)
    double pressing (cold pressing - thermal conditioning - second pressing)
    pre-pressing (flattening - thermal conditioning - pressing)

  • Ambient temperature: Min 20°C
  • Product temperature  before pressure: Min 25°C
  • Humidity of the product: Max 9%
  • Oil content of meals: 7 to 20% depending on process
     

Focus on shelling

The shell represents nearly 25% of the seed as it is, with a moisture content of 9%. Several levels of hulling exist to obtain a product containing max 11% hulls (minimum necessary for seed pressure). After hulling, the product undergoes a granulometric separation (3 levels) in order to remove the fractions below 2.5mm which are considered intractable.

For more information or if you need a solution for the extraction of sunflower, please contact us.