Production and Employment
How is peanut oil produced?
Peanut oil is extracted from the seeds of the homonymous plant ( Arachys hypogea L.), with a yield ranging between 40 and 50%.
From the seeds, the oil can be extracted by pressure or more commonly through chemical solvents. Various grinding processes follow, to give the product acceptable organoleptic characteristics.
In the less refined products, cold-pressed, they can have very small amounts of protein, but they are sufficient to trigger allergic reactions in hypersensitized subjects.
Features
Loans
Food uses
Because of its particular flavor, peanut oil is used as a table oil and in the industrial production of margarines and mayonnaises.
For the production of margarine, peanut oil must undergo a partial hydrogenation process, which has the purpose of saturating the double bonds to reduce the fluidity of the food; from the hydrogenation process originate the so-called trans fatty acids, which have a negative impact on blood cholesterol levels.
Peanut butter is obtained by grinding the seeds, with minimal addition of partially hydrogenated fats to improve stability; generally, therefore, its pasty consistency is not due to the aforementioned hydrogenation processes, but to the presence of finely ground peanuts.
Other Uses
The residual panel, rich in proteins, if of good quality and not contaminated by aflatoxins, is widely used in the feeding of livestock.
Peanut oil is also found in the pharmaceutical industry, as a vehicle for liposoluble active ingredients in medications for parenteral use, and in the cosmetic sector, where it is used to produce various soaps and detergents.
Nutritional Properties
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Examining the acidic composition of peanut oil, the high content of oleic acid stands out, making it a better choice for frying than many other vegetable oils; moreover, it reduces their susceptibility to rancidity.
The linoleic acid content, the forerunner of omega-six fats, is also excellent, while like most of the seed oils there is a shortage of alpha-linolenic acid, founder of the omega-three series fats.
The content in vitamin E is also fair (about 19.1 mg of tocopherols per 100 ml of peanut oil). These characteristics, together with the absence of cholesterol and the reduced content in saturated fats, make peanut oil a valid aid in the prevention of cardiovascular diseases, provided that it is consumed with sobriety and in partial replacement of animal fats (lard, butter, lard, cream etc.).
Moreover, given the lack of omega three fatty acids, peanut oil must necessarily be inserted in a food context sufficiently rich in fish and / or vegetable oils in which these nutrients abound (hemp oil, canola oil, oil of flaxseed and safflower oil).
