“Cold Pressed” – The Healthiest Method

【Edible Oil Extraction Methods】

There are basically two methods to extract edible oil from raw materials, which include pressing and leaching.

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A

Pressing

Pressing involves physical extraction by mechanically squeezing oil out of the raw materials. This method originates from traditional oil production practices and has since been industrialized. There are two ways of pressing, which include hot and cold pressing techniques.

Hot pressing 
is used to squeeze crude oil by pressing at high temperatures, which produces crude oil with a higher yield.Crude oil with a darker color and high acidic value has to be precipitated and refined at a temperature as high as 260-310°F (around 130-150°C) for dephosphorization, decolorization, and deacidification, which strips the oil of much of its nutrients.

Cold pressing
is a method of mechanical extraction at room temperature (or lower than 140°F, 60°C), which produces oil that can be consumed after precipitation and filtration without refining.

Cold pressed oil retains its natural flavor, color, bioactive substances, nutrients, and can be stored for a longer time without the use of additives.

The oil extraction rate of the cold pressed method is only half of the hot pressed method. Hence, cold pressed oil is more expensive than hot pressed oil.

B

 Leaching

Leaching is a method to extract oil using a solvent that meets food standards by way of refining the crude oil by degreasing, degumming, dehydration, bleaching, deodorization, and de-acidification.This method produces refined oil with higher oil yield at a lower cost that brings more profit; however, refined oil may contain residual chemical substances such as trace hexane or may be contaminated with trace amounts of highly toxic aflatoxin B1 even when using the most advanced chemical leaching oil equipment.

The leaching process is used widely to extract edible oils such as rapeseed oil, soybean oil, corn oil, and sunflower seed oil. Experts have pointed out that oils produced from the leaching process are safe to consume as long as correct operating procedures are adhered to, however, there is still controversy regarding health implications of the byproducts and carcinogens produced in the refining process.

【The Best Method to Extract Camellia Oil】

Camellia oil is produced from the seeds of camellia trees and the quality of the oil is determined by the production method. It is the best to use the physical pressing method to extract camellia oil at the lowest temperature possible in order to retain all nutrients and maximize its health benefits.

To begin the process, camellia fruits must first be dried to expose the seeds inside. When dried, the seeds separate from the shells naturally in a dry room equipped with modern processing techniques to minimize the risk of mold from wet and warm climate or rain. The chosen seeds are then picked and grinded at cool temperatures. The whole process is done at low temperatures between 140-260°F (around 60-130°C) to retain all nutritional value and properties of the oil. This process ensures the quality of oil as its smoke point exceeds 446°F (230°C).

The health benefits of camellia oil are attributed to the presence of unsaturated fatty acids, squalene, Vitamin A, D, and E, as well as other trace elements. It also contains tea polyphenols and camellia glycosides that are not found in olive oil. Ingredients in camellia oil have been proven to improve blood lipid profile, which helps prevent heart disease, cancer, and inflammation. Camellia oil also balances blood sugar levels and helps eliminate toxins stored in the body. It can be used as an excellent skin protectant to fight bacteria, cure fungal or bacterial skin infections, relieve burns, and accelerate the healing process.

The various health benefits of camellia oil exist only when the camellia seeds are cold pressed. In some production facilities, camellia seeds are processed at temperatures as high as 520°F (around 270°C) to increase yield, which degrades all natural antioxidants such as squalene, tea polyphenols, and camellia glycosides. When the leaching process is used to increase the production rate, the product is known as ‘refined camellia oil’. In addition to stripping the natural nutrients present in the oil, the refining process also creates a final product that oxidizes easily. The oxidation factor makes the oil more likely to break down and promote the presence of free radicals in the body, which can ultimately lead to cancer.  

It is very important to understand the way that cooking oils are processed. Cold pressed, expeller pressed, leached and refined are different processes used to extract oil. Cold and expeller pressing are the best methods of extraction for retaining all nutrients without using additives, whereas the refining process is utilized to maximize oil yield, but lowers nutritional value and produces residual chemicals and toxins that are harmful to the consumer’s health.

ShanCha Inc. hand-picks camellia seeds from natural,wild camellia trees and produces organic camellia oil by exclusively using the cold pressed method at low temperatures around 140°F (60°C) in a controlled environment equipped with modern processing equipment.ShanCha® camellia oil is the healthiest and best edible oil in the world.