EU approves plant-based solvent for oil extraction

The plant-based solvent methyloxolane has been approved for use in the extraction of vegetable oils in Europe, Belgian chemical developer and manufacturer, the Minafin Group, announced on 20 February.

Methyloxolane, which the group supplies under the EcoXtract brand, is produced from agricultural co-products such as sugarcane bagasse and does not compete with food production, the company says. It can be used as a substitute for hexane, which is derived from petroleum and is currently the most used solvent for the extraction of edible oils.

Minafin said the European Parliament and European Council had amended Directive 2009/32/EC to add methyloxolane as a permitted processing aids in the manu- facture of food ingredients.

According to information published on the National Center for Biotechnology Information’s US website, research into greener and biodegradable solvents has grown due to the fact that n-hexane, one of the main constituents of extraction grade hexane, is sourced from fossil resources and is registered under the REACH Regulation as a category 2 reprotoxic and category 2 aquatic chronic toxic product, EcoXtract managing director Laurence Jacques said methyloxolane could be used at production facilities designed to extract with hexane, with minor modifications.

LDC to expand canola facility in Saskatchewan

Global agribusiness giant Louis Dreyfus Company (LDC) announced on 11 April that it would expand its canola processing complex in Yorkton, Saskatchewan, Canada.

Construction of an additional canola crushing line was due to start later this year and would more than double the facility’s crushing capacity to over 2M tonnes/year.

LDC has operated the facility, which produces food grade canola oil and feed meal, since 2009.

“This investment supports the group’s strategic growth plans by reinforcing core merchandising activities, in this case with additional capacity to originate and process Canadian canola seeds to provide nourishment for people and livestock,” LDC’s CEO Michael Gelchie said.

“It also positions LDC as a strategic feedstock provider to renewable energy producers and accelerates our contribution to a global energy transition.”