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  • What solvent is used for soybean oil extraction?
  • The solvent for extraction is usually hexane, and the first stages of extraction can use a mixture of solvent (hexane) and oil, called miscella. Fig. 1 illustrates the conventional setup for the extraction of soybean oil (SBO).
  • How many tons of soybeans are there in the world?
  • Soybeans are used worldwide for their oil and protein contents. In 2017, the world production of soybeans was 340 million ton (33.9% in America, 32.1% in Brazil, 16.2% in Argentina). The world production of soybean oil was 56 million ton.
  • How does soybean oil affect human health?
  • The world production of soybean oil was 56 million ton. The high content of poly-unsaturated components in soya has positive effects on the human health, by e.g. reducing the blood lipids, preventing blood clots, and boosting immunity. The cultivation of soybeans moreover captures nitrogen from the air and transforms it into N-fertiliser.
  • How hexane is extracted from soybean meal?
  • Soybean meal is thermally treated in a multiple hearth desolventizer/toaster/cooler. Solvent and water vapors are then condensed in a multi-step cooling. Residual vapors are finally stripped of hexane by absorption in paraffin. Hexane is recovered and can be reused in the leaching process ( Martinho et al., 2008 ).
  • Does extraction of vegetable oil reduce steam consumption?
  • The extraction of vegetable oils is an energy-intensive process. Process improvements for the production of soybean oil were investigated. Energy savings by the individual and combined improvements are calculated, and result in a ∼50% reduction in steam consumption.
  • What is the composition of soybean oil?
  • The cultivation of soybeans moreover captures nitrogen from the air and transforms it into N-fertiliser. The main components of the soybean are proteins (36 wt%), carbohydrates (30 wt%), fat/oil (20 wt%) and water (9 wt%). The composition of the soybean oil is given in Table 1 ( Carrín and Crapiste, 2008 ). Table 1. Composition of soybean oil.