The raw sunflower oil (the first spin) – the one that is just filtered, so it is the most beneficial. It fully saves all the phosphatides, tocopherols, sterols and other biologically valuable components. The raw sunflower oil has a pleasant smell and taste, but it can not be preserved for a long time so it quickly becomes turbid and bitter.
The unrefined sunflower oil is being cleaned by mechanical way without the additional processing. The oil has got a dark yellow color, distinct taste and the smell of the seeds. The unrefined oil can be higher, first and second grades. High and first grade have specific taste and smell, no foreign odors, smack and bitterness. In second grade the product can have the slightly musty scent and the smack of mild bitterness. The unrefined oil is cleaned partially- by holding up, filtering and neutralizing and hydrating. The unrefined oil is full of nutrients and vitamins, phospholipids, vitamins E, F and carotene.
Sunflower oil is ideally fit for salads and cold dishes, also used for making pastry.
The hydrated sunflower oil is obtained by mechanical way of cleaning and hydration. To do this, we pass hot water (70 ° C) in sprayed condition through a heated (60 ° C) oil. Protein and mucous substances turn into the precipitate, and the product is separated. The oil, unlike unrefined, has got the less pronounced taste and smell, the less intense color, without turbidity and sediment. Hydrated oil as the unrefined one, is produced of high, first and second grades.
Refined sunflower oil is transparent, without the precipitate, has got the poor color intensity, very pronounced taste and smell. Refining is a stage of production of vegetable oil, which is the stage of cleaning the vegetable oil from various contaminants. Vegetable oil is processed with alkali, the free fatty acids, phospholipids are removed; the product is being stratified, the peeled vegetable oil goes up and is being separated from the sediment. Then it gets whitened. In biological terms, refined oil is less valuable because it contains less tocopherols and phosphatides.
The refined, deodorized sunflower oil is produced by the impact of the water vapor under vacuum. During this process, all the flavoring substances that may lead to premature deterioration of oil are being destroyed. There are “P” and “D” sunflower oil mark. The “D” mark shows the refined, deodorized sunflower oil. The oil of this mark is made for baby food and dietary. Considering the physico-chemical parameters, it differs from the mark “P” for an acid number. For “D” mark, it should be no more than 0.4 mhKON / g, and for “P” one- no more than 0.6 mhKON / g.
The frozen sunflower oil is obtained as a result of the removal of its natural waxy substances (wax). This wax gives the sunflower oil the turbidity. If oil was subjected to “freeze”, its name is supplemented by the word “frozen”.
The refined sunflower oil is used for frying and stewing. Since it does not add additional smell, it is great for deep-frying. The margarine and cooking fats are also made of the sunflower oil. The sunflower oil is used in the production of the canned food, and in soap making and paint industry.