Oil Expelling from Dehulled De-Skinned Groundnut Kernel using Screw Press: Optimization of Process Parameters and Physico-chemical Characteristics

India is the second largest producer of groundnut in the world with a production of 8.94 million tonnes during 2017-18. Groundnut, being the major oilseed crop in India, recorded a production of 1.32 million tonnes oil during 2017-18 (USDA, 2018). The oil content in groundnut may vary from 40 to 54% depending upon type, variety and climatic condition. Groundnut oil contain substantial amount of unsaturated fatty acids namely oleic and linoleic acids accounting for 38-56% and 16-38% each, respectively and low in free fatty acid (FFA). Palmitic acid, saturated fatty acid, is the major fatty acid with about 10-16% (Nagaraj, 2009).