As the benefits of castor oil continue to dominate the local and international media, most individuals are expressing interest in the unique oil product. The suggested castor oil extraction plant in South Africa should be sufficient to meet the local demand for castor oil and even provide a surplus for export.
How is castor oil extracted?
Large Scale Seed Oil Extraction Project (Mechanical Method) The ripe castor seeds are dried and passed via dehulling to eliminate the shells before extraction. The seeds are then thoroughly pre-cleaned before cooking and then passed through another drying process. Cooking helps to thicken protein and to release the castor oil for optimal pressing.
What is castor oil?
Castor oil is a kind of dry oil made from castor seeds (47%~50% oil content). It does not solidify under -18°C and not degenerate and burn under 500~600°C. The crude castor oil is deacidificated, washed, dehydrated, decolorized and filtered to prepare refined castor oil.
Where are castor seeds produced in South Africa?
The largest factories for castor seeds in South Africa can be found in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng provinces. South African domestic production is stable enough to be able to accommodate the local demand, thus most of the castor seeds products consumed in the country are produced locally. Castro oil is usually obtained by pressing the castor beans.