In the process of oil processing, the moisture content of oilseeds is a crucial factor. Excessive moisture will not only affect the extraction efficiency of oil, but also adversely affect the product quality and edible oil processing equipment. The following will analyze the specific effects of excessive oil moisture on oil extraction from several aspects.

1. Reduce the oil yield. 

In the process of oil extraction, proper moisture is helpful to improve the flexibility of cell wall, thus promoting the release of oil. However, when the water content is too high, the water in the oilseeds will form emulsifying phenomenon with the oil, which will increase the adhesion between the oil and the solid residue, making it difficult to completely separate the oil, and ultimately reducing the oil yield.

2. Affect the operation of oil press equipment.

Oilseeds with too high water content are prone to produce too much steam and moisture when mechanically squeezing oil, which will increase the wear and energy consumption of equipment. In addition, high moisture may also lead to abnormal pressure in the press chamber, and even lead to equipment blockage, affecting production efficiency.

3. Reduce the quality of oil. 

Too high water content can easily lead to hydrolysis reaction in the process of oil extraction and generate free fatty acids, thus reducing the quality of oil. In addition, too high moisture may also promote the growth of microorganisms, accelerate the deterioration of oilseeds, and further affect the quality and storage stability of the final product.

4. Increase the difficulty of subsequent processing.

In the solvent extraction process, high water content will cause the solvent to absorb more water, thus reducing the solvent’s ability to dissolve oil. In addition, high moisture content may also lead to increased energy consumption in evaporation and desolventization, and increase production costs.

5. Increase the risk of mildew.

Oilseeds with high water content are more prone to mildew during storage and produce harmful substances such as aflatoxin. This will not only pose a threat to human health, but also lead to the scrapping of raw materials in the whole processing batch.

To sum up, the high water content of oilseeds has many adverse effects on the oil extraction process and the final product quality. Therefore, in actual production, the moisture content of oilseeds should be strictly controlled and generally kept within a suitable range (usually 6%-10%) to ensure extraction efficiency and product quality. At the same time, strengthening the management of raw materials storage and processing is also an important measure to avoid losses caused by moisture problems.