Best Oil Seeds for a Hydraulic Oil Press: Oil Content and Equipment

The best seed for an oil press business is the one you can buy all year and sell oil from at a good price. Oil content comes next. Then comes how much equipment it needs before the hydraulic oil press. The table below uses the oil contents and process routes from our own process sheet.

Oil content and equipment by seed

Material	Oil content	Usual process	Equipment before the press
Sesame	42–52%	Hot	Roaster only; pressed in the 300 mm barrel, no pre-pressing
Peanut kernel	42–52%	Hot	Pre-press machine, flat-bottom roaster
Sunflower kernel	About 43%	Hot	Pre-press machine, flat-bottom roaster
Rapeseed	About 42%	Hot or cold	Drum roaster, pre-press, steamer (hot)
Flaxseed	About 45%	Hot or cold	Roaster and grinding-mixing unit (hot); crusher (cold)
Walnut kernel	About 62%	Cold	High-speed crusher
Almond	About 53%	Cold	Pre-press machine or crusher
Desiccated coconut	About 62%	Cold	Mixer
Camellia (tea) seed	15–35%	Hot	Drum roaster, crusher, steamer
Soybean	About 19%	Hot or cold	Pre-press and steamer (hot); crusher (cold)

Sesame

Sesame holds 42–52% oil and roasted sesame oil sells at a premium, which is why most first-time buyers start with it. The seed costs more than peanut or sunflower and must be cleaned well; sand wears the barrel.

Peanut

Peanut kernels are widely grown, hold 42–52% oil and give the roasted oil many markets cook with. The line needs a sheller, a pre-press machine and a roaster in front of the press; see the peanut oil press page.

Walnut, almond and other nuts

Walnut (about 62% oil), almond (about 53%) and hazelnut (about 58%) are cold pressed after crushing, with very little other equipment. The oil sells at a high price, but kernels are expensive and buyers are fewer. These suit a premium or export business.

Coconut

Desiccated coconut holds about 62% oil and is cold pressed after mixing. Fresh coconut must be dried first, which adds a dryer to the line.

Sunflower, rapeseed and flax

Sunflower kernels (about 43%), rapeseed (about 42%) and flaxseed (about 45%) are mainstream cooking oils with lower prices per kilogram. They work well where the seed is cheap and local.

Soybean

Soybean holds only about 19% oil. A hydraulic press can press it, but most of the value is in the meal, and large soybean volumes are normally solvent-extracted. Press soybean only if you have a local market for the cake.

How to choose

• Year-round local supply at a stable price.
• A buyer for the oil at a price that covers the seed. Remember it takes about two kilograms of 50% seed to make one kilogram of oil.
• A buyer for the cake.
• Equipment you can afford in front of the press.

Related Reads

• How to Choose a Hydraulic Oil Press Machine
• Cold Pressed Oil vs Hot Pressed Oil
• Walnut Oil Press Machine Buying Guide
• Hydraulic Oil Press for Sesame Oil

FAQ

Which seed is best for a beginner?

Usually sesame or peanut, hot pressed on a 325. Both are widely available and the roasted oil has a ready market.

Which seeds are cold pressed?

Walnut, almond, hazelnut, cashew kernel, pumpkin seed and desiccated coconut, after crushing or mixing. Flax, rapeseed and soybean can be pressed either way.

Why is my yield lower than the oil content?

Oil content is what the seed holds. Some oil always stays in the cake, and preparation (roasting, moisture, particle size) decides how much.

Get a setup for your seed and output

Tell us which seeds you can buy locally. We will tell you which process and equipment each one needs.