Evaluation of the pressing process during oil extraction from grape seeds

<p>This study evaluated the physical properties and oil extraction from grape seeds from three white (Welschriesling, Green Veltliner, Hibernal) and two red (Zweigelt and Saint Laurent) must varieties of grapevine by cold screw pressing as the appropriate extraction process. Pressing was carried out by a screw press UNO FM 3F by Farmet Company, Czech Republic. The pressing device consists of a matrix, 220 mm screw, head, heating mantle, nozzle holder, and a nozzle of 10 mm in diameter. The minimal and maximal screw rotation speeds were chosen within the press characteristics in order to achieve a correct expression and to avoid press overload. For successful pressing of the seeds and their storage, their initial moisture content was lowered from 40 to 45% to about 5 to 8% in a chamber dryer. The temperature in the chamber dryer did not exceeded 40 &deg;C. Seeds of all varieties were pressed at the same speeds of 20, 40, 60, and 80 rpm. The characteristics of the grape seeds are as follows: The density ranges from 602.7 to 606.3 kg.m^-3, thousand seeds weigh is between 21.9 - 26.6 g, humidity between 5.6 - 7.1% of dry matter and seed oil content, determined by extraction and depending on the variety, ranges from 15.3 to 17.5% in dry basis. The results have confirmed that when the screw rotation speed is changed from 20 to 80 rpm, the press capacity increases on average from 0.84 kg.h^-1 to 1.75 kg.h^-1, but simultaneously the oil yield reduces from 9.85 to 6.75%. This means that one kilogram of seed may produce 67.5 to 98.5 g of oil. The quantity of the pressed oil ranges from 67.5 to 98.5 g.kg^-1 and thus depends on the variety. The measured results can be used in commercial practice for optimizing the pressing process for pressing of oil from grape seeds.</p>