Raw Materials & Processing Inputs
Feedstock — oilseeds
The raw material of oil itself: 16 major oilseeds and oil crops, from sunflower and soybean to olive, palm and sesame, each with oil content, processing route and cake value.
Processing inputs & consumables
The materials consumed to extract, refine, clarify and package oil — each linked to the stage that uses it:
Bleaching Earth
Bleaching earth is an adsorbent clay used in the bleaching stage of edible oil refining to remove color pigments, trace …
Filter Aids & Media
Filter aids and media help clarify oil by trapping fine solids that would otherwise blind a filter. Diatomaceous earth (…
Activated Carbon
Activated carbon is a highly porous adsorbent used in edible oil refining, usually alongside bleaching earth, to remove …
Extraction Solvent (Hexane)
Solvent extraction uses a food-grade solvent — predominantly hexane — to dissolve oil out of prepared oilseed or press c…
Refining Chemicals
Chemical refining of edible oil uses a small set of process chemicals: caustic soda (sodium hydroxide) to neutralize fre…
Caustic Soda (Sodium Hydroxide)
Caustic soda — sodium hydroxide (NaOH) — is the alkali used in chemical (alkali) refining to r…
Degumming Acids (Phosphoric & Citric)
Phosphoric and citric acid are the small-dose acids used in acid degumming to remove the phospholipids tha…
Antioxidants
Antioxidants are added to some edible oils to slow oxidative rancidity and extend shelf life. They include natural optio…
Nitrogen & Inert Gas
Nitrogen (and other inert gases) protect edible oil from the oxygen that drives rancidity. Blanketing tanks with nitroge…
Packaging Materials
Packaging materials turn finished oil into a shelf-stable product and are a direct shelf-life decision. Containers (PET,…
Press Wear Parts & Consumables
Oil pressing consumes wear parts: the worm (screw) and cage bars of a screw press, and the press cloths of a hydraulic p…