Processing peanuts

Nutty Aromatic characteristic of fresh nuts. Freshly processed peanut oil... 

In addition to microorganism-based impurities, there are other biological impurities that may pose a concern for drug products. For example, allergens from peanuts can contaminate excipients by cross-contamination with processing equipment used to process peanuts and excipient raw materials. These contaminants can cause severe allergic reactions in sensitive individuals.58 Additionally, gluten present in excipients manufactured from wheat starch may cause celiac disease.22... 

Contents Origin and History World and U.S. Production Processing Peanuts Nutritional Value of Peanuts Peanut Products and Uses... 

PROCESSING PEANUTS. Following picking, peanuts are delivered to warehouses, where they remain until processed. Processing varies somewhat according to market use, with the following operations involved ... 

Raw or processed peanuts are excellent sources of riboflavin and niacin, and peanut skins are high in the B vitamins. 

Other than fuel, the largest volume appHcation for hexane is in extraction of oil from seeds, eg, soybeans, cottonseed, safflower seed, peanuts, rapeseed, etc. Hexane has been found ideal for these appHcations because of its high solvency for oil, low boiling point, and low cost. Its narrow boiling range minimises losses, and its low benzene content minimises toxicity. These same properties also make hexane a desirable solvent and reaction medium in the manufacture of polyolefins, synthetic mbbers, and some pharmaceuticals. The solvent serves as catalyst carrier and, in some systems, assists in molecular weight regulation by precipitation of the polymer as it reaches a certain molecular size. However, most solution polymerization processes are fairly old it is likely that those processes will be replaced by more efficient nonsolvent processes in time. 

A process has been developed (139) whereby up to 80% of the oil can be removed from whole, raw peanuts without the use of solvent. In this process, the blanched peanuts are brought to a proper moisture content, pressed mechanically, and then reshaped or reconstituted by dipping in hot water subsequently they can be roasted and salted, or used in confections or other formulations. Defatted peanuts may also be ground into meal and added to cookies, cakes, and many other products, where they impart a distinctly nutty flavor and cmnchy texture. On the other hand, the resulting high grade oil is refined and employed in cooking and industrial products. This process can also be used for pecans, walnuts, almonds, Brazil nuts, cashews, and other nuts (140-142). 

J. G. Woodroof, Peanuts Production, Processing, and Products, Avi Publishing Co., Westport, Coim., 1973. 

National Agricultural Statistics Service, Peanut Stocks and Processing, USD A, 1993. 

Solvent Extraction. Extraction processes, used for separating one substance from another, are commonly employed in the pharmaceutical and food processing industries. Oilseed extraction is the most widely used extraction process on the basis of tons processed. Extraction-grade hexane is the solvent used to extract soybeans, cottonseed, com, peanuts, and other oilseeds to produce edible oils and meal used for animal feed supplements. Tight specifications require a narrow distillation range to minimize solvent losses as well as an extremely low benzene content. The specification also has a composition requirement, which is very unusual for a hydrocarbon, where the different components of the solvent must be present within certain ranges (see Exthaction). 

U.S. exports of the other oilseeds are smaller and foUow different patterns (50). Exports accounted for only 2—3% of the cottonseed crop and 16—31% of the processed oil production for 1991—1994. Of the peanut crop ca one-half is consumed domestically as whole nut products and 15—20% is exported. Only about 10% of the sunflower seed crop is exported. From 1991 to 1994 an average of 70% of the oil was exported, but only about 11% of the meal was shipped overseas. 

Oil. Most cmde oil obtained from oilseeds is processed further and converted into edible products. Only a small fraction of the total oil from soybeans, cottonseed, peanuts, and sunflower seed is used for industrial (nonedible) purposes. 

Food Products. Soybeans, peanuts, and sunflower seeds are consumed as such or are processed into edible products. 

The raw materials for the manufacture of soap, the alkali salts of saturated and unsaturated C10-C20 carboxylic acids, are natural fats and fatty oils, especially tallow oil and other animal fats (lard), coconut oil, palm kernel oil, peanut oil, and even olive oil. In addition, the tall oil fatty acids, which are obtained in the kraft pulping process, are used for soap production. A typical formulation of fats for the manufacture of soap contains 80-90% tallow oil and 10-20% coconut oil [2]. For the manufacture of soft soaps, the potassium salts of fatty acids are used, as are linseed oil, soybean oil, and cottonseed oil acids. High-quality soap can only be produced by high-quality fats, independent of the soap being produced by saponification of the natural fat with caustic soda solution or by neutralization of distilled fatty acids, obtained by hydrolysis of fats, with soda or caustic soda solutions. Fatty acids produced by paraffin wax oxidation are of inferior quality due to a high content of unwanted byproducts. Therefore in industrially developed countries these fatty acids are not used for the manufacture of soap. This now seems to be true as well for the developing countries. 

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