Method of producing edible meal from cottonseed

摘要

An improved process for producing a high quality, edible meal product from cottonseed by releasing oil under conditions whereby unruptured gossypol cells are floated out with the oil flow and immediately separated from the remaining solids. Sufficient gossypol is removed in the cooking step of the extraction phase by a simple, low temperature heat and moisture treatment so that the final meal product rendered is safe and nutritious for human consumption, yet produced at lower cost than prior art methods. The dry, decortiated oleaginous material is treated in a flow down cooker where heat and moisture are added for removal of a significant portion of the oil and gossypol therein, after which the material is mixed with a solvent for removal of the major portion of the remaining oil and gossypol. The material is then separated from the mixture of solvent and removed oil and gossypol in an extracting or washing apparatus after which the material is treated in a desolventizer for removal of the remaining solvent, leaving a meal with a low gossypol and fat content.