Peanut oil is one of the most common edible oils, boasting a genuine flavor, healthy properties and rich nutritional value. However, many customers complain that the cold-pressed peanut oil they extract has little to no aroma or only a faint scent. In fact, multiple factors lead to weak fragrance in peanut oil, which are listed below:
Effect of raw peanut materials on oil flavor
It is an undisputed fact that high-quality oil relies on high-quality raw materials. Peanuts used for oil extraction need to be plump and non-aged, which can bring about the optimal pressing effect when processed by a peanut oil press.
Oilseed pretreatment
Peanut processing requires professional skills. Before peanut kernels are fed into the oil press, the control of their moisture ratio and temperature directly determines the oil yield and oil flavor. The mixing ratio of raw peanut stock to hot-air roasted stock is normally 3:1.
If the proportion of roasted stock is too low, the peanut oil will smell faint and yield less oil. If the ratio is too high, the oil cake cannot take shape easily during pressing, oil output will drop, and the crude oil will turn turbid, creating extra trouble for subsequent refining procedures.
Factors Affecting the Aroma of Peanut Oil
Improper roasting temperature impairs oil flavor
Roasting is an essential procedure for making richly aromatic characteristic peanut oil, and the formation of peanut oil’s fragrance is directly linked to roasting temperature.
When pressing peanut kernels, low roasting temperature results in weak aroma, while excessive temperature will scorch the oilseeds. The recommended roasting temperature ranges from 180°C to 200°C. To avoid gelatinization and spontaneous combustion of oilseeds, the materials must be cooled down immediately after roasting.
Impact of roasting process
Roasting peanut kernels before pressing with a peanut oil press is another key step to produce strongly aromatic peanut oil. The process directly affects the oil yield, flavor, color, as well as the content of phospholipids and colloidal substances in peanut oil.
