Commercial Success of ECLAIR Programme AGRE-0029: Improvement of sunflower dehulling capacity

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FAIR-CT98-4822 Commercial Success of the ECLAIR Programme : Separation/Fractionation : Vegetable Oil/Fat



This Item is taken from a report produced by CPL Scientific on the Commercial Success of ECLAIR Programme 1999 under contract FAIR-CT98-4822. The Project Summary, Links to Individual Project Reports and Preface and Overview are available in separate items.

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AGRE-0029: Improvement of sunflower dehulling capacity

Science Background

For many oil crops, the fibrous by-products left after oil extraction are marketed as animal feed. For several crops, the protein content of the residues enhances the feed value for fowl and monogastrics. However, in the case of sunflower the use of the meal in animal feeding has been limited due to the high fibre content caused by residual seed hulls. At the time of this project, industrial dehulling was already performed in some countries (Argentina, France, Spain, and USA), but the meal quality in terms of digestibility for poultry and monogastrics such as pigs, as well as protein content, is very variable. This reflects large variations in the extent of dehulling. In fact the oil content in sunflower represents a maximum of no more than 50% of the seed yield. For this reason improvement in qualitative characteristics of sunflower meal could represent an interesting proposal, with the aim of increasing meal protein content from the present 26-30% up to at least 40%, by seed dehulling prior to oil extraction. Experiments on technology for dehulling sunflowers carried out in France indicated that one of the most important factors affecting this are the properties of the seeds themselves.

Objectives

This project, coordinated by CETIOM (France) intended to approach the problem over a broad front, in order to obtain a better knowledge of the many different scientific, technical and economic areas (including plant physiology, agronomy, breeding and technology) for improving sunflower dehulling ability.

Significant changes and results since end of ECLAIR

CETIOM has continued in-house research on sunflower dehulling ability. University of Udine (Italy) received funding from the AIR and CAMAR programmes, as well as the Friuli region for sunflower-related research.

Results

At end of this ECLAIR project

A dehulling-sorting system was established, as were factors (environmental, genetic and process related) which affect dehulling. As a result of this work a flowsheet for dehulling and sorting was developed which had recommendations for the design of a new industrial dehulling system. At the same time, the nutritional value of several dehulled sunflower meals was determined and the profitability of dehulling for both the crusher and the user of dehulled sunflower meal for animal feed were studied. It was ascertained that profitability of dehulling depends for a large part on good technical control of the process, with maximum crude oil output that has improved reduction of loss of oil in hulls. Profitability also depends on hulls and crude oil prices, but in general it appears that dehulling can, under some conditions, increase the marketability of sunflower meal. As a result of this research, new breeding criteria were identified.

Current position

Research is ongoing.

Impact

Commercial

The conclusion of this project was that although dehulling is not economically favourable due to low energy and soybean meal prices and the high cost of sunflower oil, the technology appears to contribute to maintaining or even increasing the competitiveness of sunflower meal.

Associated

Udine University (Italy), a partner in this project and AGRE-0039, also participated in further EC-funded research including CAMAR-CT91-0118: Improving water valorisation in sunflower crops by the creation of drought tolerant varieties (in campo selection using agronomical criteria, hybrids production) and AIR3-CT94-2231: Research for the adaptation of oilseeds crops management to the new requirements of the Common Agricultural Policy: crop competitivity, seed quality, environment.

Other related research includes:

• The development of sunflower inbred lines with a modified fatty acid profile of the oil obtained by the utilization of classical breeding. In particular many inbred lines (restorer and male-sterile lines) were obtained with high oleic content (more than 85%), high linoleic (more than 75%) and low stearic acid (lower than 1%) for food and non-food use.
• Early screening of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum and Phomopsis helianthi resistance in sunflower and testing the resistance to toxic metabolites (oxalic acid and phomozine) using proteins as molecular markers.
• Drought resistance in sunflower to adapt this crop to the Mediterranean pedoclimatic conditions.
• Selection of new introduced varieties and in improving old varieties already adapted to local conditions, for characters like disease resistance, achene oil content and yield for developing countries (China, Mozambique, Venezuela, etc).
• Production of different vegetable oils by organic farming is also be investigated compared to conventional agriculture towards reduced input use, in particular decreased chemical inputs and livestock units per area unit, changed production, changes in crop rotations and yield levels.

They are collaborating with Energie pulite 2000, a society established in 1994 in the Friuli region for developing production of biofuels and biolubricants (Helianthus annuus, Brassica oleracea, Ricinus communis, Crambe abyssinica, Brassica carinata), industrial uses of biomass for power production (Sorghum, kenaf, Miscanthus), inulin production (Helianthus tuberosus, Cicorium intybus) and other new oil crops (Vernonia sp.).

Further Information

The following papers can be obtained from CETIOM via their website.

• Evrard, J., Burghart, P., Carre, P., Messean, A., Lemarie, J. (1996) Economics of sunflower dehulling. In: 14^th International Sunflower Conference. Beijing – Shenyang, China, June 1996. Vol. II pp853-857
• Evrard, J., Burghart, P., Carre, P., Lemarie, J., Messean, A., Champolivier, L., Merrien, A., Vear, F. (1996) Improvement of sunflower dehulling ability and interdisciplinary approach. In: 14^th International Sunflower Conference. Beijing – Shenyang, China, June 1996. Vol. II pp890-895
• Merrien, A., Dominguez, J., Vannozzi, G.P., Baldini, M., Champolivier, L., Carre, P. (1992) Factors affecting the dehulling ability in sunflower. In: 13^th International Sunflower Conference. Pisa, Italy, Sept 1992. Vol. 1, pp260-267

Contacts

Author

• Jim COOMBS / CPL Scientific Publishing Services Ltd CPL Press / UNITED KINGDOM
• Katy HALL / CPL Scientific Publishing Services Ltd CPL Press / UNITED KINGDOM

CETIOM

• Andre Pouzet / CETIOM FRANCE

University Udine

• Prof Gian Paolo Vannozzi / UNIVERSITA degli Studi di Udine Dipartimento Produzioni Vegetali / ITALY