Vegetable oil is one of the staple foods, produced under different latitudes since ancient times. Its different varieties often constitute the nature of local culinary practices. After all, it's hard for us to imagine Mediterranean cuisine without the distinctive flavor of olive oil, or Asian dishes without a few drops of sesame oil. In the areas of today's Poland, inhabited by our Slavic ancestors, ways of extracting oil from seeds were known as early as the beginning of the first millennium AD. However, until the 19th century, most oil production in our region was non-industrial in nature. This means that small communities or manors produced oil for their own use. Today, different varieties of oil are available off-the-shelf at any store, but the practice of self-pressing oil further has many undeniable benefits. Especially today, when modern oil presses are compact, efficient and easy to operate like never before.

What to press oil from? Not just rapeseed and sunflower....

Although the most popular vegetable oil varieties in Poland are rapeseed oil and sunflower oil, the range of options for the oil press owner is much wider. A popular alternative oil, for example, is linseed oil. It is one of the healthiest oils, rich in omega-3 fatty acids (alpha-linolenic acid). In Poland, flax is grown mainly in the east and south of the country, and flaxseed oil is widely used in cooking (mainly for salads and as a dietary supplement) and in cosmetics. Flax is also used in the textile and construction industries. Slightly less popular varieties also include soybean oil, which is used in both the food and feed industries, castor oil used in cosmetics, or soybean seed oil, which is gaining in popularity.

Briefly about the equipment - types of oil presses

The equipment used to extract oil from oilseeds is, as you might easily guess, an oil press. However, as is often the case, the matter is a bit more complex, and there are several types of this type of machine available on the market. Oil presses are divided into a couple of types:

Worm presses - most commonly used in industry, they press oil using a

rotating worm, ideal for hot and cold pressing.

Hydraulic presses - use hydraulic force to squeeze oil, ideal for cold-pressed oil production, have higher oil quality.

Disc presses - use rotating disks to squeeze oil, used in medium-sized productions.

Solvent extraction presses - use chemical solvents, allow high yields, but reduce oil quality.

Hot or cold?

When talking about types of oil presses and methods of extracting fats from seeds, it is impossible to avoid the basic distinction: hot pressing and cold pressing. However, does it matter? The answer is... yes - if we are talking about oil produced for food purposes. Cold-pressed oil is considered healthier than hot-pressed oil, mainly because of just the differences in temperature and production process. With cold-pressing, the raw materials (i.e. the seeds) are not heated above 40-45°C. This preserves most of the valuable nutrients, such as unsaturated fatty acids (omega-3, omega-6), vitamins (such as vitamin E) and antioxidants. As a result, the oil retains its full nutritional value and has health benefits, supporting the cardiovascular system, immune system and skin. Heat pressing, as the name implies, involves higher temperatures (often above 100°C), leading to the loss of many nutrients and a reduction in oil quality. The process can also produce unfavorable compounds, such as oxidized fatty acids, which are harmful to health. It is worth noting, however, that heat-pressed oils have a longer shelf life. However, their nutritional value is much lower.

Cold-pressed oil is therefore a far better ingredient for a daily diet. For oils used in crafts or preservation, the pressing temperature does not play as much of a role. Want to learn more? We recommend our article on cold-pressed oils - here.

What else does oil quality depend on?

While the method of pressing is crucial to the properties of the final product, there are a number of other factors that affect the quality of the finished oil. Of course, the type of raw material is important - healthy, ripe seeds or fruits yield better oil - this is logical. The moisture content of the seeds is not insignificant, too high can degrade the quality of the oil. The speed and time of pressing also affect the final product - a prolonged process can lead to oxidation of the oil.

How to start oil pressing?

Oil pressing is a venture that can be undertaken on a variety of scales - from local production for personal use to large-scale production lines focused on profit and optimization. Regardless of personal preference for the size of production, at the outset it is worth answering the question of preferred raw material and its availability. The next step is to choose the right equipment. There are screw presses, hydraulic presses and smaller cold-press models on the market, which are more suitable for home use or small farms. It is important to choose a device with the right capacity for efficient pressing depending on the scale of production. The next step is the preparation of the raw material, that is, cleaning the seeds from impurities and possibly drying them. It is also worth paying attention to the quality of the raw material, as the quality of the final oil depends on this. It is worth remembering that after pressing, the oil needs to be filtered to get rid of any residual seeds. Care should also be taken to ensure proper storage conditions - the oil should be stored in a cool, dark place to prevent oxidation. Finally, it's a good idea to familiarize yourself with the regulations governing the production and sale of oil in order to operate legally.