Mustard Oil Pressing SOP — Kachi Ghani Cold Press & Steamed Hot Press
Field-tested operating procedure for mustard oil extraction on Haonuo hydraulic presses. Covers both traditional Kachi Ghani cold-pressed oil (≤ 60 °C, premium retail) and steamed hot-pressed production (higher yield, milder flavour).
Haonuo hydraulic presses extract 30–38 % oil yield (cold press / Kachi Ghani) or 33–41 % (hot press with steam) from clean mustard seeds, with residual oil in cake 6–8 %. An HN325 single-barrel press runs 800–1,200 kg/day; a double-barrel or HN365 reaches 1,500–2,500 kg/day. Same machine for both methods — only the pre-steam step changes.
Mustard (rapeseed) is India's most consumed cooking oil — roughly 5.5 million tonnes per year across Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, West Bengal, Bangladesh and Nepal. Two products coexist: Kachi Ghani, the traditional cold-pressed pungent oil that commands a ₹20–30 per litre retail premium, and refined / mild mustard oil for the mass market. The SOP below is written for Haonuo hydraulic press operators who need to run one machine in both modes on the same day.
SOP ① — Kachi Ghani Cold-Pressed Mustard Oil
Run this first thing in the morning, before any steamed batches. Clean machine, no heat.
- 1
Seed cleaning (20–30 min / 100 kg)
Remove stones, chaff and foreign matter with a winnower or gravity separator. Damaged or mouldy seeds reduce yield and contribute off-flavours to Kachi Ghani. Target moisture content: 7–9 %. Do not soak or wash seeds — cold press relies on the seed's natural oil-bearing cell structure.
- 2
Load into tabung press (3 min)
Load 100 kg of clean seed into the slotted barrel (tabung press). The Haonuo HN325 barrel takes 100 kg standard; double HN365 barrels take 80–90 kg each. Spread seed evenly to prevent uneven pressure.
- 3
Press at 27–30 MPa, hold ≤ 60 °C (~ 2 h / batch)
Run the standard pressure cycle. Cold press batches take about 2 hours per 100 kg — slower than hot press by design, because there is no steam to soften the cell walls. The Kachi Ghani retail premium is what offsets the longer cycle. Monitor barrel temperature — if it exceeds 60 °C, pause and let it cool. This is the legal definition of cold-pressed in India (FSSAI standard). Target cake residual oil: 6–8 %.
- 4
Unload cake & collect oil (5 min)
Kachi Ghani cake has a coarse, dry structure. Collect oil from the press drip pan — expect 30–38 L per 100 kg seed. Use a cloth filter or filter press to remove fine particles before bottling.
- 5
Store unrefined, bottled within 72 hours
Kachi Ghani oil is unrefined. Store in food-grade plastic or stainless containers away from direct sun. Bottling within 72 hours preserves the pungent flavour buyers pay premium for.
SOP ② — Steamed Hot-Pressed Mustard Oil
Run after cold-press batches, or as the only process. Higher yield, milder flavour.
- 1
Seed cleaning — same as cold press
Same target: 7–9 % moisture, stones and debris removed. Hot press forgives slightly dirtier seed, but yield still drops if moisture is off.
- 2
Pre-steam 10–15 min at ~ 90 °C
This is the only difference from the cold-press SOP. Use an electric or wood-fired steamer. Steaming softens cell walls, raises yield by 3–5 %, and reduces the pungent mustard flavour. Do not over-steam (> 15 min) — you lose oil to the water vapour.
- 3
Load warm seed into tabung press (3 min)
Warm steamed seed flows more easily — distribute evenly. The barrel will heat to ~ 80 °C naturally during hot-press batches; this is expected and correct.
- 4
Press at 27–30 MPa (35–45 min / batch)
Cycle is shorter than cold-press because steamed cell walls release oil faster. Target cake residual oil 6–8 % — same as cold-press.
- 5
Filter & fill
Oil is lighter in colour and milder. Filter press recommended for bulk production.
100 kg of mustard seed — what you get
| Output | Kachi Ghani cold-press | Steamed hot-press |
|---|---|---|
| Crude oil yield | 30–38 kg (≈ 33–41 L) | 33–41 kg (≈ 37–46 L) |
| Residual oil in cake | 6–8 % | 6–8 % |
| Cake weight | ~ 62–70 kg (by-product, sold as animal feed) | ~ 59–67 kg |
| Cycle time / 100 kg | ≈ 2 h (cold cycle, no steam) | 35–45 min + 10–15 min steam prep |
| Premium | ₹20–30 / L over refined mustard | Close to refined market price |
Yield numbers assume clean, dry seed at 7–9 % moisture. Wet or damaged seed reduces yield by 3–7 %.
Daily capacity by Haonuo model
| Model | Barrel config | Daily throughput (hot press, 8 hr) | Daily oil output |
|---|---|---|---|
| HN325 | Single barrel | 800 – 1,200 kg | 265 – 490 L |
| HN365 | Double barrel | 1,500 – 2,500 kg | 495 – 1,025 L |
| HN426 | Cold-press dedicated (500 t) | ≈ 400 kg cold / ≈ 1,000 kg hot | Premium Kachi Ghani line |
Capacity based on 8-hour shift with one operator, hot-press basis. Cold-press capacity is roughly half of hot-press on the same machine — the cold cycle runs ~ 2 h vs 35–45 min.
Running mustard oil production or planning to start? Use our ROI calculator with these yield numbers, see the full model comparison sheet, or send us your daily capacity target for a specific machine recommendation.
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