Cold Press vs Hot Press vs Solvent Extraction: How to Choose the Right Edible Oil Processing Method

In the edible oil processing industry, cold pressing, hot pressing, and solvent extraction are the three most common methods. With years of manufacturing experience, we understand that first-time investors often face these questions:

• Is cold pressing truly more nutritious?

• Does hot pressing cause excessive nutrient loss?

• Is solvent extraction too costly to invest in?

Below, we will provide a systematic analysis of these methods from three aspects: processing principles, advantages and disadvantages, and suitable applications.

1️⃣ Cold Pressing: Preserving Nutrition and Natural Flavor

Cold pressing involves extracting oil at low temperatures without high-heat treatment.

• Advantages:

  • Maximizes retention of nutrients like Vitamin E and polyunsaturated fatty acids

  • Produces clear, natural-tasting oil

  • No chemical processing, meeting the demand for natural and healthy oils

• Applications: Olive oil, flaxseed oil, walnut oil, grape seed oil, and other premium oils

• Disadvantages: Lower yield and higher cost per unit

• Ideal for: Small-scale boutique oil producers and high-end oil brands

2️⃣ Hot Pressing: Balanced Flavor and Yield

Hot pressing involves steaming or roasting raw materials before pressing.

• Advantages:

  • Higher oil yield for better production efficiency

  • Rich aroma preferred by most consumers

  • Mature technology with moderate investment

• Applications: Peanut oil, rapeseed oil, sesame oil, soybean oil, and other common edible oils

• Disadvantages: Some nutrients may be lost due to high temperature

• Ideal for: Small to medium-sized oil mills aiming for a balance of cost and quality

3️⃣ Solvent Extraction: High Yield for Large-Scale Production

Solvent extraction uses food-grade solvents to thoroughly extract oil, followed by refining to remove residual solvent and impurities.

• Advantages:

  • Highest oil yield, with residual oil in the meal below 1%

  • Suitable for continuous, automated large-scale production

  • Lowest unit cost when scaled

• Applications: Soybean oil, sunflower oil, rice bran oil, cottonseed oil, and other bulk vegetable oils

• Disadvantages: High initial investment; requires proper refining equipment and safety compliance

• Ideal for: Large oil factories or businesses planning to expand production

📌 How to Choose the Right Method?

• Want premium, nutrient-rich oils → Cold Press

• Want aroma, reasonable cost, and stable yield → Hot Press

• Targeting large-scale production and lowest unit cost → Solvent Extraction

QIE Group engineers can design the best processing solution based on your raw materials, daily production, and target market, helping you avoid costly mistakes.

Why Choose QIE Group?

• 40+ years of experience in edible oil machinery manufacturing

• Complete solutions: raw material pretreatment → pressing/extraction → refining → packaging

• Global success: hundreds of production lines in Africa, Southeast Asia, Middle East, Russia

• Full support: design, manufacturing, installation, training, and after-sales service

• Customized solutions: from 10TPD small oil mills to 5000TPD large-scale factories

✅ Cold Press preserves nutrients, Hot Press enhances flavor, Solvent Extraction maximizes yield.
Whether you plan a small-scale oil mill or a large vegetable oil production line, We provides efficient, economical, and market-oriented turnkey solutions.

👉 Contact us today to get a tailored processing plan and the latest equipment quote!