Process for treating oil containing vegetable raw materials

Claim 1

A process for treating oil-containing vegetable seed particles to facilitate subsequent oil extraction from said particles, said process comprising the steps of: a. forming the seed particles in a thin layer in a receiver provided with a bottom having apertures; b. moving the particles close to one another regularly for a relatively short time and moving the particles away from one another for a relatively short time while advancing said particles through the receiver; c. the movement of said particles towards and away from one another being obtained by effecting vibration of the receiver with a vertical vibration component having a low frequency of most 1000 vibrations per minute and high amplitude of about 5 to about 50 mm.; d. supplying a heat and moisture-containing gaseous fluid through the apertures in the bottom of the receiver during periods in which the apertures are open; e. heating the particles to a temperature of at least 90° C. to inactivate enzymes rapidly; f. thereafter decreasing the moisture content and temperature of the vegetable seed particles, by contacting the particles with each other regularly for a relatively short time and separating said particles from each other also for a relatively short time, said contact and said separation being obtained as in step (c), while a gaseous drying fluid supplied through openings in the bottom acts discontinuously on each individual particle when said openings are open due to the action of the vertical vibration component.