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There have been a lot of questions about the way our natural carrier oils/vegetable butter are made and how that affects their quality. There are three oil extraction methods from fruits, nuts, and seeds: solvent extracted, expeller pressed, and cold-pressed. Please note that not all oils/butter are available in cold-pressed. We carry everything created through the cold-pressed/virgin oil extraction process if it is available. Expeller-pressed oil is our second option, but again, not all oils are available in these two formats.
Solvent Oil Extraction Process
When oils are made through a solvent-extracted process, the fruit/nuts/seeds are first ground down to a fine paste. This paste is then washed with the solvent, releasing the fat from the fruit/nut/seed. After being washed in the solvent, the oil is then heated to 212° F to burn off the solvent. This oil extraction method is designed to completely burn off the solvent from the oil, leaving no solvent residue, although sometimes microscopic residue can be left (25 ppm). The last stage of the oil extraction process is to refine, bleach, and deodorize the oil (aka RBD). This can be done using chemical or physical bleaching agents, or sometimes a combination of the two. Sometimes oils are also then “winterized”, removing fats that can become solidified and separate out from the oil (such as rice bran oil). Solvent extraction removes about 97-99% of the oils from the nuts/seeds, making it the most efficient method of extraction.
Expeller Pressed Oils
This oil extraction method is exactly as it sounds- physically expressing the fruit/nuts/seeds to separate the fats, rather than using a chemical process. The difference between expeller-pressed vs. cold-pressed oils is that the expeller pressing uses a pressure method of extraction, but during the process, it can heat up to above 140°F, so it is technically not “cold processed.” Expeller-pressed oils can also be RBD and/or winterized the same as solvent-extracted oils (physical or chemical). Expeller pressing removes about 87-95% of the oils from the nuts/seeds, making it the second most efficient.
Cold Pressed Oils
Cold-processed oils cannot exceed 122°F during the extraction process. This means that vs. expeller pressed, a cold-pressed oil extraction method allows for the natural enzymes to stay intact and maintains a higher level of nutrients. Cold-pressed oils are also the natural color of the fruit/nuts/seeds, so each batch will be slightly different in color and smell/flavor and those are aspects that cannot be controlled. Cold-pressed oils are generally higher in price, also.
The difference between expeller pressed vs cold pressed oil extraction is that during the latter process, the fruit/nuts/seeds are pressed using either a bladder press (used with softer fruits), hydraulic press, or low resistance expeller pressing so as not to exceed the 122°F temperature requirement. Cold pressing is the least efficient method, leaving much of the oil in the fruit/nuts/seeds. Cold-pressed oils can also be RBD and/or winterized, generally only using physical methods and no chemicals to maintain the integrity of the oils. RBD cold-pressed oils will have a more consistent color/flavor than non-RBD versions (virgin or virgin organic).
Virgin Oils
Virgin and extra virgin oils are another way to categorize oils. Virgin and extra virgin oils will generally be cold-pressed oils, and they will have a stronger flavor/odor than RBD oils. Extra virgin (such as in olive and coconut oils) means that it is from the very first press of the fruit/nut/seed. Extra virgin organic coconut oil is fleshier and more coconutty, with a great smell and flavor of coconut oil. Organic extra virgin coconut oil is an excellent oil to cook with and to use in all-natural skincare products. Organic RBD coconut oil is the same as RBD coconut 76, just with a certified organic seal. Organic extra virgin olive oil is clearer, and brighter, with a stronger olive oil smell and taste than “pure” olive oil or pomace olive oil. Organic extra virgin olive oil can sometimes leave a slight green tint to your soap bars. Pomace olive oil is from the last press of the olives so the oil can be cloudier and not have the olive oil smell/flavor. This is the most popular olive oil to use in soap making as you will have very consistent bars with it.
Virgin oils are from the second press of the oil extraction process, leaving a fully intact fat but without the stronger smell/flavor of extra virgin. Virgin oils are excellent choices both for food and for skin care as the enzymes and active acids remain in the oils much more than the ones that have been refined. Virgin oils will have the characteristic smell and color, so if you do not want those to affect your end products you should select RBD oils. Most of our skincare specialty oils are virgin, cold-pressed oils.
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