Optimisation of Vegetable Oil Expression

Neem (Azadirachta indica) tree is a member of the Mahogany family, Meliaceae. Neem seed kernel is a component of the neem fruit which has high concentration of oil about 35 – 45%. Neem oil is used for making soap, shampoos, hand and body lotions and creams and as a base for variety of organic cosmetics. It is also used as an organic bio-pesticide repellant against insects. The yield and quality of the oil obtained by mechanical expression are affected by various operating conditions such as heating temperature, heating time, moisture content, applied pressure, particle size and pressing time. Thus, for efficient mechanical expression, a careful establishment of optimum processing conditions is necessary. In this research, a study was carried out to establish the degree of influence of moisture content, applied pressure, duration and temperature of roasting on oil expression from neem seed kernels using an oil expeller. The intention is to optimise the yield of oil from neem seed kernels and to determine the optimum operating variables that will give the best quality or grade of oil for the intended use.