Production, Processing, and Food Uses of Peanut Oilseed, Oil, and Protein

Abstract

AbstractThis article reviews the production, processing, and food uses of peanut oil and protein. Worldwide production of the seven major oilseeds amounted to nearly 604 million metric tons (MMT) in 2018. World oilseed peanut production amounted to MMT or 7% of the total. The USDA tracks the production of nine major vegetable oils. In 2018, worldwide production of vegetable oils was 203.3 MMT of which peanut totaled 5.8 MMT or 2.9% of the total production. Protein meal production in 2018 was 343.5 MMT of which peanut accounted for 7.1 MMT or 2.1% of the total. Historically, over the period of 1980–2018, US production of oilseed peanuts has increased from 2303 to 7234 million pounds while cash value varied from US$579 million to US$1.64 billion. US production of peanut oil from 2005 to 2017 varied from 181 to 260 million pounds. Peanut oil is considered as a premium edible oil and commands a high price in both US and European markets. In 2018, peanut oil sold for US$1470/MT in the United States and for US$1326 in Rotterdam. Peanut oil is recovered primarily by expeller pressing or in combination with hexane extraction. Only four plants process peanut oil in the United States. Peanut oil is processed by conventional caustic refining, adsorbent bleaching, and deodorization. The food uses of peanut oil and protein are reviewed in this article.