Camellia Seed Oil Refining
Camellia oleifera seeds are extracted from the oil through the pressing process of the oil press or the leaching process of the leaching equipment. The initially extracted oil contains impurities such as cake crumbs, phospholipids, free fatty acids, pigments, and odorous substances. These impurities cause the color of tea seed oil to be dark and turbid, and have a certain impact on the taste and flavor of camellia oil. Oxidation and deterioration of oil will affect the storage of oil.
The process flow of tea seed oil refining is as follows:
Tea seed crude oil—degumming (dephosphorization)—deacidification—dehydration—decolorization—deodorization—dewaxing—refining camellia oil
Degumming: Tea seed crude oil contains dispersed impurities formed by phospholipids and proteins. The hydration degumming method primarily utilizes the hydrophilic properties of phospholipids. During the stirring process, the dispersed impurities absorb water and coagulate after settling, removing gum.
Deacidification: Using the principle of acid-base neutralization, add NaOH solution to the crude oil and stir to neutralize free fatty acids, forming soapstock and removing them to achieve deacidification.
Decolorization: Employing clay adsorption, after heating to eliminate moisture in the crude oil, add clay to absorb pigments in the crude oil. Then circulate and filter to remove the spent clay.
Deodorization: Applying the stripping deodorization process, introduce direct steam into the deodorization vessel, elevating the temperature of the deodorized oil to 260°C. Utilize the difference in volatility between crude oil and odorous substances to eliminate odors.
Dewaxing: The edible oil dewaxing process relies on the varying melting points between wax and oil. As the temperature decreases, the solubility of wax in oil diminishes, resulting in the precipitation of crystalline wax through cooling. Then, separate the wax from the oil through filtration to achieve wax-oil separation.
The tea seed oil that has undergone the aforementioned steps typically meets the standards of first-grade tea seed oil as required by national regulations. After refining using appropriate equipment, the camellia oil exhibits a clear color, free of impurities and unpleasant odors, and possesses significant economic value. Upon passing quality tests, it can proceed to the next phase of filling and sales.
