Sustainability
Hexane-free production
– for human, animal
and environmental health
What
is hexane?
It is a derivative of petroleum distillation that acts as a chemical solvent. Hexane is classified by the Ministry of Health as a product toxic for reproduction, and harmful and irritating to respiration. With prolonged contact, it is hazardous to health (http://hpc.amu.edu.pl/MSDS/heksan.pdf).
In the industry’s typical rapeseed processing, hexane is a substance that is applied to extract the residual oil that remains from the meal after the physical hot-pressing stage of the process. At Wilmar, we use an innovative way of pressing rapeseed oil, where we have completely eliminated the use of hexane in its production. Our oil is made exclusively through processes in which we select the seeds, pressure and temperature appropriately. The complete safety of the product and the health of its recipients is of paramount importance to us.
Extruded
cake
– Waste or
high-value protein?
The extruded rapeseed cake we produce is made as a product through the extrusion of rapeseed and the production of high-quality rapeseed oil. The lack of use of hexane in this process, which leaches most of the oil from the grain, results in an amount of oil remaining in the cake of about 8-9%. As a result, a high-energy component containing highly digestible protein is naturally produced from rapeseed. The product is used as a valuable feed component that, among other actions, increases the quantity and quality of the obtained dairy products, supports the hormonal processes of cattle and is of great importance in improving the condition of the herd, which translates into health benefits for the animals and then business benefits for the farmer.
Why don’t we use hexane? At Wilmar, we have developed a process for extracting oil, without the use of chemical reagents. This is very important not only for consumers who consume oil, but also for farmers of cattle, pigs, turkeys and other livestock. Experience from global markets shows that the use of feed components created with the hexane extraction process translates directly into a decrease in herd health and condition. What is more, as a society, we are becoming more health conscious and, in taking care of ourselves, we are choosing quality products. As part of our production, we can offer consumers olej Złoty Rzepak, created without the use of artificial chemical solvents, through the sole use of physical processes. It should also be noted that the production of hexane is also an additional burden on the ecosystem, as the substance is not inert to the environment during its production, as well as due to its emission directly into the atmosphere.