Of sunflower seed

Compositions of the four oilseeds are given in Table 2. All except soybeans have a high content of seed coat or hull. Because of the high hull content, the cmde fiber content of the other oilseeds is also high. Confectionery varieties of sunflower seed may contain up to 28% cmde fiber on a dry basis (8). Soybeans differ from the other oilseeds in their high protein and low oil content. AH these oilseeds, however, yield high protein meals when dehuUed and defatted. 

Average prices of the principal U.S. oilseeds and derived products for 1990—1994 are summarized in Table 9. The United States is the principal producer of soybeans China is the largest grower of cottonseed and peanuts Argentina leads in the production of sunflower seed (Table 10). 

Jiang, Z., Ahn, D., and Sim, J. 1991. Effects of feeding flax and two types of sunflower seeds on fatty acid compositions of yolk lipid classes. Poultry Sci. 70, 2467-2475. 

Senkoylu and Dale (1999) reviewed the nutritional value of sunflower seed and meal for poultry. The seeds contain approximately 380g/kg oil, 170 g/ kg CP and 159g/kg CF and are a good source of dietary lipid. Sunflower meal is produced by extraction of the oil from sunflower seeds. The nutrient... 

Prottey, C., Hartop, P.J., and Press, M., Correction of the cutaneous manifestations of essential fatty acid deficiency in man by application of sunflower-seed oil to the skin, J. Invest. Dermatol., 64, 228, 1975. 

Turrell, J.A. and Whitehead, P.A. (1989) Authenticity of edible vegetable oils and fats, Part XVIII analysis of additional samples of sunflower-seed, groundnut and maize germ oils. Leatherhead Food RA Research Reports No. 637. Leatherhead Food RA, UK. 

Du Plessis, L. M., and de Villiers, J. B.M. 1983. Stability Studies on Methyl and Ethyl Esters of Sunflower Seed Oil. In Bagby, M. O., and Pryde, E. H. (Eds.), Proc., Vegetable Oil as Diesel Fuel Seminar III (pp. 57-62). Peoria IL USDA Northern Regional Research Center. 

Robertson, J. A., Morrison, W. H., Ill, and Wilson R. L., Effects of Planting Location and Temperature on the Oil Content and Fatty Acid Composition of Sunflower Seeds, USDA Agric. Results ARR-S-3, U.S. Dept. Agriculture, Washington, DC, 1979. 

These figures are based on the use of sunflower-seed oil containing 5 7 per cent linoleic acid. With other oils, the yield will be proportionally larger or smaller, depending on the analysis of the oil. Approximate values for three oils may be calculated from the values given in Note 3 above. The yield from cotton-seed oil is 26-30 g. The checkers have brominated about nine times the amounts stated in these directions and have obtained proportionate yields. 

A) Fatty Acids.—In a 1-1. Erlenmeyer flask are placed 250 cc. of dynamite-grade glycerin (Note 1) and 40 g. (0.71 mole) of potassium hydroxide. The mixture is heated to 120-140° and is shaken by hand until the alkali is dissolved. To the hot solution there is added, in one portion (Note 2), 110 cc. (100 g., 0.11 mole) of sunflower-seed oil (Notes 3 and 4) which has been preheated to 110-115°. The hot solution is swirled vigorously until saponification is complete (Note 5). This is indicated by the formation of a... 

Place four trays (in a pinch aluminum foil) on lab tables. Weigh out four 500-g portions of sunflower seeds (without shells), one for each tray. 

Data Sheet 3.2 Amount of sunflower seeds removed Difference between fuU feeder and level of seeds now (Derived from Sheet 1)... 

Friedman Z, Shochat SJ, Maisels MJ, Marks KH, Lamberth E L Jr. Correction of essential fatty acid deficiency in newborn infants by cutaneous application of sunflower-seed oil. Pediatrics 1976 58 650-654. 

Ambient factors, such as temperature and light, affect the oil composition of sunflower seeds. Robertson and Russell (13) studied the effect of climatic conditions (temperature difference between night and day in Canada, Minnesota, and California) on the composition of sunflower oil, hnding that linoleic acid increased proportionally with increasing temperature difference. Robertson and Green (14) studied the effect of sowing time on oil content and composition. Eleven different hybrids... 

Figure 14. Preparatory treatment of sunflower seed for extraction.

Dtying of Sunflower Seeds The moisture content of sunflower seed must be reduced to around 8-9% prior to storage. Different authors indicate shghtly varying levels 15% (50), 9-10% (51), 8.5% (52), and 10.5% (5). In order to prevent losses caused by unfavorable climatic conditions, seeds are usually harvested with moisture contents above the recommended levels for storage. 

Seed moisture is normally expressed as weight percentage of the whole seed. As water is insoluble in seed lipids, the moisture content is concentrated in the nonfatty parts of the seed. The water content calculated on a nonfatty basis is defined as critical moisture. The critical moisture of sunflower seeds is 16%, although a maximum 15% is recommended for storage. 

TABLE 16. Critical Moisture of Sunflower Seeds with Different Oil and Moisture Content [Based on (50)]. 

Figure 15. Equilibrium moisture (%) of sunflower seed with hull as a function of air relative humidity (%) for three temperatures [based on (51)].

Genetic improvements of sunflower seeds have been aimed at increasing oil content, but also leading to a decrease in the amount of hull. The seed pericarp is thinner and more firmly attached to the kernel in improved varieties. The hullability of improved seeds, i.e., the ease with which hulls can be cracked and removed from the seed, is lower than that of seeds with hull of higher thickness. 

The world production of sunflower seed has grown steadily since 1950, at a lower rate toward the last several years. Figure 30 shows the evolution since 1935 (5, 128,... 

Figure 30. World production of sunflower seed in million of metric tons (MMT) (5, 128, 129).

World production of sunflower seed (7%) was third in the world production of oilseeds in 2001-2002, after soybean (57%) and canola seeds (11%). Production of soybean being by far the largest, sunflower seed production does not amount to much of the world total oilseed production (129). 

Figure 31. Evolution of sunflower seed production (MMT) by country/region in the last years compared with total world production [based on (129)].

Sunflower oil, as well as canola oil, is produced annually for sale of the oil primarily, unlike the case of soybean oil, mainly related to the demand for its meal. Sunflower oil accounts for 80% of the seed price, being six to seven times higher than the price of meal pellets. The price of sunflower seed is determined by the price of the extracted oil. 

The remaining material from the pressing stage (expeller) of sunflower seed usually contains 10-12% of oil. Sunflower meal is obtained as a byproduct of solvent extraction from this material. In order to facilitate handling and transportation, the meal is often compacted through pressure and temperature treatment, into the shape of sunflower pellets. Sunflower pellets are the fourth important oleaginous raw material used in animal feeds, after soybean, cottonseed, and canola pellets. 

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