A method for processing vegetable oils with a sonication process

Abstract

The present application relates to a method for processing vegetable oils. The present application relates to a method for processing vegetable oils comprising providing one or more vegetable oils, subjecting the vegetable oil provided to a degumming process, thus obtaining an oil which has been partially or completely degummed; subjecting the oil obtained which has been partially or completely degummed to a deacidification process, thus obtaining an oil which has been partially or completely deacidified of acid content, subjecting the oil obtained which has been partially or completely deacidifed to a bleaching process, thus obtaining an oil which has been partially or completely bleached; subjecting the oil obtained which has been bleached to a deodorization process, thus obtaining an oil which has been partially or completely deodorized, and performing a sonication process during one or more of the said process steps.

Description

[0001] A METHOD FOR PROCESSING VEGETABLE OILS WITH A SONICATION PROCESS

[0002] Technical field

[0003] The present invention relates to the processing of vegetable oils, in particular to a method for processing vegetable oils with a sonication process.

[0004] Background of the invention

[0005] The processing of vegetable oils involves various processes (e.g. refining) to produce products suitable for consumer use in the food industry. Vegetable oils are provided from various parts of plants with oil content such as seeds, leaves, and fruits. The supply of said vegetable oil can be achieved by subjecting the plant parts to an extraction process.

[0006] The extraction process can be performed by applying physical force to various plant parts, thus separation into crude (i.e. not subjected to any processing steps) vegetable oil and plant pulp (also known as plant meal) is achieved. The process of providing oil from plant parts by applying this said physical force is called cold pressing in general use. In the cold-press extraction process, it is difficult to obtain oil from seeds and fruits with low oil content compared to plant parts with high oil content. When the energy spent for the process and the amount of oil obtained are compared, it is obvious that the yield value will be low compared to the expected at the end of the process. Therefore, it is desirable to develop new methods to provide oil with high yields even from plant parts with low oil content.

[0007] Another common application of the extraction process is referred to as solvent extraction. For said process, the plant parts are cut into small pieces and treated with one or more solvents. Depending on the oil content present in the part of the plant selected to provide oil, the number of repetitions of said process varies. When the solvent extraction method is preferred for providing vegetable oil from plant parts with high oil content, the use of solvents increases. For environmentally friendly applications, it is recommended that the use of solvents is as low as possible according to the rules of "green chemistry". For this reason, it is desirable to develop methods that can minimize the use of solvents or even completely eliminate the solvent usage.

[0008] Vegetable oils are referred to as crude oil after they have been provided in various ways (e.g. extraction applications or commercial supply). Crude oil is unprocessed, i.e., unrefined oil. Oils that have not been subjected to the refining process can be filtered after being extracted from their natural source. Even if crude oils are subjected to the filtration process, they are not suitable for use as food. In order to make it possible to use vegetable oils as food products, there is a refining method consisting of four basic steps. The refining method steps to which vegetable oils provided in various ways can be subjected can be listed as follows: i. degumming, ii. deacidification,

[0009] Hi. bleaching, iv. deodorization.

[0010] The degumming from the refining method steps listed above can be carried out by removing gummy substances with water and / or acid. As a result of subjecting the vegetable oil to the refining process, vegetable oil suitable for consumption as food is obtained.

[0011] Consumers demand healthy food consumption. With the developing technology, new food processing processes have started to be applied in the food industry. Various processing techniques, physical and chemical treatments used in the food industry cause a decrease in the nutrient levels and bioavailability of foods compared to the unprocessed form of the food. New methods need to be developed to minimize the negative impact on nutritional value and bioavailability parameters that are important for consumer use and to preserve the sensory properties (e.g. odor, taste) of processed vegetable oils in this context. In order to improve the suitability of vegetable oils for food consumption, energy use and a related cost calculation can be performed starting from the provision thereof through various processes such as extraction to the end of the refining process. Obtaining oil suitable for food consumption from various plants (e.g. canola) that may have high commercial returns is relatively difficult due to said high energy / cost ratio.

[0012] In light of all this information, it is clear that there is a need to develop vegetable oil processing methods that are high in consumption quality, environmentally friendly, and have low energy consumption and cost ratios, and / or to improve existing vegetable oil processing methods.

[0013] Summary of invention

[0014] The main object of the present application is to eliminate the problems mentioned in the state of the art. Another object of the present invention is to provide a faster, more efficient vegetable oil processing method compared to the vegetable oil processing methods on the market.

[0015] The vegetable oil processing method proposed within the scope of the present application meets the objectives above thanks to the set of elements constituting the contents of the independent claims.

[0016] The vegetable oil processing method proposed within the scope of the present application includes the following steps: a) providing one or more vegetable oils; b) subjecting the vegetable oil provided in step a to a degumming process, thus obtaining an oil which has been partially or completely degummed; c) subjecting the oil provided in step b which has been partially or completely degummed to a deacidification process, thus obtaining an oil which has been partially or completely deacidified of acid content; d) subjecting the oil provided in step c which has been partially or completely deacidifed to a bleaching process, thus obtaining an oil which has been partially or completely bleached; e) subjecting the oil provided in step d which has been partially or completely bleached to a deodorization process, thus obtaining an oil which has been partially or completely deodorized; f) performing a sonication process during one or more of steps b to e.

[0017] In the context of the present specification, the term "sonication" is also referred to as ultrasonication or (ultra-)sonication.

[0018] In an example embodiment of the present application, said process of providing vegetable oil in step a can be performed using cold pressing and / or solvent extraction techniques. These said techniques can make it possible to provide the oil contained in plant seeds by separating it from the vegetable meal (i.e. pulp). In an example embodiment of the application, a sonication process can be performed during the process of providing vegetable oil in step a.

[0019] In a possible embodiment of the method; the degumming process in step b may comprise the following steps: b1 ) washing the oil by contact with water, b2) contacting the oil washed in step b1 with one or more acids.

[0020] In a possible embodiment of the method, sonication process can be performed in one or both of the steps b1 and b2, which can be applied in the degumming process.

[0021] In an example embodiment of the present application; the deacidification process of step c may comprise contacting the partially or completely degummed oil provided in step b with one or more bases, and a sonication process may be performed simultaneously. In an example embodiment of the present application, the bleaching process of step d may comprise contacting the partially or completely deacidified oil with one or more bleaching earths, and a sonication process may be performed simultaneously.

[0022] In an example embodiment of the present application, the deodorization process of step e may comprise contacting the bleached oil with a saturated vapor, and a sonication process may be performed simultaneously.

[0023] In an example embodiment of the method, a frequency applied in sonication may be in the range of 20 kHz to 2000 kHz.

[0024] In an example embodiment of the method, a frequency applied in sonication may be in the range of 20 kHz to 50 kHz.

[0025] In an example embodiment of the method, a frequency applied in sonication may be in the range of 20 kHz to 25 kHz.

[0026] In an example embodiment of the method, a frequency applied in sonication may be 20 kHz.

[0027] In an example embodiment of the present application, sonication process may be performed in each of steps b to e.

[0028] In an example embodiment of the present application, sonication process may be performed in each of steps a to e.

[0029] In an example embodiment of the present application, one or more of steps b to e may be carried out in one or more vessels. An example embodiment of the method may comprise performing a heat removal process from said one or more vessels during sonication.

[0030] In a possible embodiment of the method, the heat removal process may be performed by passing one or more fluids through one or more jackets in thermal communication with the vessel. Detailed description of the invention

[0031] A method for processing one or more vegetable oils, proposed within the scope of the present application comprises the following steps: a) providing one or more vegetable oils; b) subjecting one or more vegetable oils provided in step a to a degumming process, thus obtaining an oil which has been partially or completely degummed; c) subjecting the oil provided in step b which has been partially or completely degummed to a deacidification process, thus obtaining an oil which has been partially or completely deacidified of acid content; d) subjecting the oil provided in step c which has been partially or completely deacidifed to a bleaching process, thus obtaining an oil which has been partially or completely bleached; e) subjecting the oil provided in step d which has been bleached to a deodorization process, thus obtaining an oil which has been partially or completely deodorized.

[0032] In the method proposed within the scope of the present application, a sonication process is performed during one or more of steps b to e.

[0033] Sonication process is a physical method that is performed by means of sound waves in the frequency range audible to the human ear or waves of comparatively higher frequencies (i.e., ultrasonic). Ultrasonic waves can be defined as waves with wavelength and frequency at frequencies inaudible to the human ear. The frequency range of sound waves audible to the human ear can be considered to include values greater than 20 hertz (Hz) and less than 20,000 hertz (20 kHz). Within the scope of the present application, the preferred frequency range of waves, which are also suitable for use in food processing processes, can be specified as up to 2000 kHz (2 MHz or less). The frequency range used within the scope of the present application can be considered preferably around 20 kHz, i.e. in the range of 10 kHz to 50 kHz, more preferably in the range of 10 kHz to 30 kHz, more preferably in the range of 15 kHz to 25 kHz.

[0034] During the performance of a sonication process during one or more of steps b to e in the present application, and during sonication applications that may be performed in possible embodiments of the application, physical, chemical and biochemical effects may occur at various frequencies. In this context, a liquid oil medium is involved during the application of the vegetable oil processing method steps, and during the sonication process, cavitation bubbles can form in the oil, which collapse inward and cause a high shear stress and temperature rise around them. Thus, cavitation helps to keep the temperature at a desired value without the need for additional heating efforts / measures / costs or by keeping these at a low level. In another aspect, cavitation facilitates the process steps within the scope of the present application, while also not causing any problems.

[0035] Sonication wave frequency, sonication wave intensity (i.e. amplitude), temperature and characteristic features of plant variety can be considered as parameters suitable for consideration in the formation of one or more cavitations made possible by the sonication process applied during the process steps of the vegetable oil processing method. In cases where the frequency to be applied during the vegetable oil processing method steps is relatively high, relatively high ultrasonic intensity may be needed for cavitation to occur.

[0036] In a possible embodiment of the present application, the process of providing oil at step a may comprise cold pressing and / or solvent extraction technique. The process of obtaining vegetable oil with the cold pressing technique is made possible by applying a mechanical force, for example, by performing a pressing process, on the plant elements (e.g. fruit) from which the oil is to be extracted. Provision of vegetable oil can be carried out by using various parts of plants (e.g. seeds, fruits, leaves, flowers) as plant elements. As a result of the process of obtaining vegetable oil by subjecting it to a pressing process, one or more vegetable oils and one or more plant pulps (also known as plant meal) can be obtained. In this context, the process of providing vegetable oil by solvent extraction comprises subjecting one or more plant elements to be subjected to the extraction process (e.g. after they have been wounded or shredded) to one or more solvents. In an example embodiment of the method, one or more oilseeds from which vegetable oil is to be provided may first be mashed, and then treated with one or more solvents (i.e. contacted with said solvent). It may be possible to repeat the process of treating the shredded plant parts with solvent (i.e., applying stepwise extraction). The application parameters of stagewise extraction (e.g. contact time, temperature, solvent selection, number of stages) can be determined by taking into account the physical properties of the plant part (plant element) (e.g. the size of the contact surface per unit mass, porosity, etc.) and the oil content thereof.

[0037] Therefore, the vegetable oil processing method presented in the present application offers an environmentally friendly and cost-effective approach by minimizing the number of possible stages and the amount of solvent that may be required compared to traditional methods.

[0038] In a possible embodiment of the present application, a sonication process can be performed during the process of providing vegetable oil in step a. The amount of oil obtained from plant parts subjected to sonication during cold press extraction method comprising a pressing process is higher than the process of provision without being subjected to sonication. The application of sonication during a solvent extraction process can increase the amount of oil that can be extracted, allowing the total obtainable oil contained in the plant to be obtained faster than if it were obtained without sonication.

[0039] Within the scope of the present application, the advantages of performing sonication in the step of extraction of vegetable oils (i.e. step a, during the extraction of vegetable oil from one or more plant materials (i.e. plant elements, e.g. seeds, fruits)) include the following: extraction efficiency increases, vegetable oil is obtained faster compared to vegetable oil extraction by traditional methods, It makes it possible to obtain vegetable oil by processing vegetable oil at low temperatures, so that vegetable oil of higher quality is obtained compared to extracts obtained at high temperatures,

[0040] - thanks to the use of sound waves at optimum intensity during the sonication process, oxidative damage in vegetable oil is reduced and the sensory properties (e.g. taste) of the oil are improved,

[0041] - the use of chemical solvents is less compared to traditional extraction methods, thereby enabling an environmentally friendly extraction process,

[0042] - compared to the mechanical processes applied during the extraction process, the sonication process consumes less energy, thereby reducing the method cost.

[0043] In an example embodiment of the present application, the degumming process in step b may comprise the following steps: b1 ) washing the oil by contact with water, b2) contacting the oil washed in step b1 with one or more acids; wherein the sonication process can be carried out in one or both of the steps b1 and b2.

[0044] The degumming process described in step b of the method proposed within the scope of the present application can be applied as degumming with water and / or degumming with acid. The step of degumming with water can also be explained as degumming with a hydration application. In an example embodiment of the present application, crude oil can be brought into contact with water and mixed at a temperature in the range of 50- 70 °C, for example for a period of 15-30 minutes. A crude oil-water mixture obtained as a result of said application can be subjected to one or more centrifugation processes. In this way, one or more phospholipid molecules in the oil phase can pass into the water phase by mass transfer and thus be removed from the oil phase. In this context of the present application, washing the oil by contact with water, i.e. applying a sonication process during the step of degumming with water, can reduce the number of possible centrifugation steps by accelerating the transition of one or more phospholipid molecules from an oil phase to a water phase, or even ensure that a single centrifugation step is sufficient. In the process of degumming with acid, the isoelectric point of vegetable oil can be taken into account in order to remove one or more phospholipid molecules insoluble in water from the oil phase. One or more phospholipid molecules and one or more acids such as phosphoric acid and / or acetic acid (i.e., preferably, one or more weak acids) can be placed in the same medium to be brought into contact. By adding said one or more acids to the mixture, one or more phospholipids insoluble in water can precipitate and be removed from the oil phase. After the precipitation of one or more phospholipid molecules, phospholipids can be removed from the oil phase by performing one or more centrifugation processes. In an example embodiment of the present application, a phosphoric acid solution (e.g. at a concentration of 85% (v / v)) can be added to crude oil with a temperature in the range of 70-90 °C and subjected to one or more centrifugation processes. In this context of the present application, applying a sonication process during the step of washing the oil by contact with acid (i.e. degumming with acid) accelerates the separation of one or more phospholipid molecules insoluble in water from the oil phase.

[0045] Within the scope of the present application, the advantages provided by performing the sonication process during the subjecting of a vegetable oil obtained in step a to a degumming process can be listed as follows:

[0046] - the gummy substance to be separated from the vegetable oil will form a homogeneous mixture by establishing weak chemical bonds with one or more water molecules and / or one or more acid molecules by being subjected to sonication, thus providing a suitable medium for degumming,

[0047] - compared to the degumming processes currently used in the market, degumming is achieved in a shorter time, reducing energy consumption and therefore process costs,

[0048] - less water and acid are used, compared to the degumming processes currently used in the market, degumming is achieved at lower temperatures and said application temperature can be controlled. In a possible example embodiment of the present application, the deacidification process of step c may comprise contacting the partially or completely degummed oil provided in step b (the output of step b) with one or more bases, and a sonication process may be performed simultaneously. The free fatty acids present in the output of step b of the method can be removed by the deacidification process in step c. For example, the output of step b can be treated using one or more basic aqueous solutions (e.g. KOH, NaOH, etc. solution) having a pH value in the range 7.1 -14.00 in an amount that does not damage intact free fat molecules. Solutions having the said pH value between 7.1 -14.00 are also defined as basic solutions. It can be said that one or more acid-base reactions take place during the deacidification process in step c of the method. In this context of the present application, the application of a sonication process during the deacidification process may increase the interaction of one or more basic solutions and one or more free fat molecules to be separated from the oil phase. The products of acid-base reactions (which can also be considered as salts of reacted free fatty acids) can be removed from vegetable oil by one or more process of washing with water. The application of sonication during the deacidification process can reduce the number of repetitions of one or more repeated water washing processes.

[0049] Within the scope of the present application, the advantages provided by performing the sonication process during the subjecting of the output of step b to the deacidification process in step c can be listed as follows:

[0050] - the chemical reaction rate increases, thus the neutralization time is shortened and the process speed increases,

[0051] - free fatty acids and base solutions mix better, making it possible to obtain a homogeneous solution,

[0052] - compared to a deacidification process currently used in the market, degumming is provided at lower temperatures,

[0053] - the interaction of free fatty acids and base solutions increases, thus reducing the amount of base solution that has to be used.

[0054] In a possible example embodiment of the present application, the bleaching process of step d may comprise contacting the partially or completely deacidified oil in step c (i.e., the output of step c) with one or more bleaching earths, and a sonication process may be performed simultaneously. The bleaching process can be defined as the removal of one or more coloring molecules present in the content of crude oils. In the bleaching process, one or more adsorbents can be added for the purpose of removing one or more pigments contained in vegetable oil. Said adsorbent(s) can be removed after bleaching (e.g. by being subjected to one or more centrifugation and filtration processes). In an example embodiment of the present application, bleaching earth can be added to the medium as an adsorbent. Within this context of the present application, the application of sonication during the bleaching process may enable one or more adsorbent compounds (e.g. bleaching earth) to adsorb more of one or more coloring ingredients (e.g. pigment) in the medium than if the bleaching process were carried out without sonication. Thanks to the increased adsorption, the color of the output of step d and the final product are made more suitable for consumer use, while their clarity is also improved, compared to applications in which the sonication application is not performed.

[0055] Within the scope of the present application, the advantages provided by applying the sonication process during the subjecting of the output of step c to the bleaching process in step d can be listed as follows: the oil molecules surround one or more of bleaching earth, forming a homogeneous mixture, thereby enabling faster and more effective bleaching,

[0056] - by increasing the adsorption capacity of one or more bleaching earth, it increases the contact with the color components in the oil and ensures that the bleaching reaction is carried out in a controlled manner,

[0057] - provides removal of unwanted coloring pigments,

[0058] - compared to traditional bleaching methods, it enables a shorter processing time by using less bleaching earth,

[0059] - it requires lower energy compared to traditional mixing bleaching methods.

[0060] In a possible embodiment of the present application, the deodorization process of step e may comprise contacting the bleached oil (i.e., the output of step d) with a saturated vapor, and a sonication process may be performed simultaneously. The aroma or odor of vegetable oil can be a characteristic that affects consumer preferences. As a result of a hydrolysis and / or oxidation reaction of the components in the structure of vegetable oil, aldehyde(s), ketone(s) and / or hydrocarbon(s) may occur in the content of one or more saturated and / or unsaturated fatty acids. Such content can adversely affect the aroma or odor of vegetable oil in a way that the consumer may not want. From the reaction products obtained as a result of the reaction, hydrocarbon(s) (e.g. hydrocarbons that may have 5 or more carbon numbers), may have higher molecular weights compared to other reaction products such as aldehyde(s) and / or ketone(s). They may therefore not be removed from the oil phase, for example in steps b, c, and d. Substances suitable for use in deodorization process include, e.g. water vapor and inert gases (e.g. nitrogen). In an example embodiment of the application, vegetable oil in a medium of 180-230 °C can be purified from odor component(s) by being treated with water vapor at a temperature above the boiling point and not in equilibrium with its own liquid (i.e., superheated). Within this context of the present application, thanks to the application of sonication during the deodorization process, the odor components can be removed at relatively low temperatures using saturated vapor at low temperature (i.e. vapor at the evaporation temperature corresponding to the ambient pressure).

[0061] Within the scope of the present application, the advantages provided by subjecting the bleached oil provided in step d to sonication during a deodorization process can be listed as follows:

[0062] - it provides faster evaporation of one or more volatile components present in the vegetable oil compared to traditional methods,

[0063] - it allows one or more volatile components present in the vegetable oil to be vaporized in larger quantities compared to traditional methods.

[0064] In a possible embodiment of the vegetable oil processing method provided within the scope of the present application, sonication process may be carried out in each of steps b to e. In an another possible embodiment of the invention, sonication process may be performed in each of steps a to e.

[0065] The advantages provided by the sonication process that can be performed in the relevant method steps in possible embodiments of the method presented in this application can be listed as follows:

[0066] In step a: - A greater amount of vegetable oil can be provided by extraction compared to pressing. In both cases, sonication increases the amount of oil that can be obtained. Thanks to sonication, the number of extraction stages and / or the amount of solvent required can be reduced, the extraction speed can be increased, thus providing time and cost advantages.

[0067] In step b:

[0068] - When sonication is applied during the degumming of the output of the step a, the contact of the water phase with the oil phase increases; thus, the transition of water-soluble phospholipids in the oil phase to the water phase (i.e. mass transfer) is facilitated, accelerated, and made more efficient. The number of centrifugation steps applied to wash the oil phase with water can be reduced.

[0069] - Sonication facilitates the formation of weak bond(s) by the weak acid(s) (e.g. phosphoric acid) added during degumming with the surrounding oil molecules and thus diffusion into the oil phase. Therefore, an effective interaction with water-insoluble phospholipids is ensured, and the removal of phospholipid molecules from the oil phase is facilitated and accelerated.

[0070] In step c:

[0071] - The application of sonication during the deacidification of the output of the step b improves the contact and interaction of the superheated vapor with the oil phase, thereby facilitating and accelerating the removal of free fatty acids.

[0072] In step d:

[0073] - The application of sonication during the bleaching process of the output of the step c improves the contact of the color components with the adsorption material (e.g. bleaching earth) and improves the adsorption. Therefore, thanks to sonication, decolorization is facilitated and a clearer, lighter-colored product can be obtained.

[0074] In step e: - The application of sonication during the deodorization of the output of the step d allows the use of saturated vapor at a lower temperature compared to that used in traditional methods, without compromising the effective removal of undesirable odorant components in the oil.

[0075] Therefore, performing the sonication process in steps a-e of the method presented within the scope of the present application is made possible at low temperature, short processing time, and lower energy requirement compared to traditional vegetable oil processing methods.

[0076] In a possible embodiment of the vegetable oil processing method presented within the scope of the present application, a frequency applied in sonication is up to 2000 kHz, preferably in the range of 10 kHz to 50 kHz, more preferably in the range of 10 kHz to 30 kHz, more preferably in the range of 15 kHz to 25 kHz, for example 20 kHz.

[0077] It is possible to state the following about the ultrasound sound waves applied during the vegetable oil processing method steps presented within the scope of the present application:

[0078] - they does not cause toxic effects in the medium applied,

[0079] - they are suitable for use in terms of occupational health and safety and are environmentally friendly due to their functions such as reducing the use of solvents,

[0080] - they are easy to use,

[0081] - they can be applied with an accessible device system,

[0082] - reaction inputs can be obtained as products without loss in reactions in which they are involved,

[0083] - high energy efficiency compared to other chemical and physical applications.

[0084] A possible embodiment of the method presented in the present application may additionally comprise performing one or more of steps b to e in one or more vessels and the method may comprise performing the process of heat removal from said one or more vessels during sonication. In a possible embodiment of the method; heat removal process may be performed by passing one or more fluids through one or more jackets in thermal communication with the vessel.

[0085] Thermal applications are important in the food industry in terms of characteristics such as shelf life, one or more sensory criteria. One or more food products (e.g. vegetable oil) that undergo various processing steps to be processed are not desired to change their properties such as taste, odor, structure of chemical bonds, and viscosity due to the temperature factor as a result of the processes. In an example embodiment of the present application, heat removal process can be carried out by passing one or more fluids through one or more jackets in thermal communication with the vessel, whereby the temperature may be included as an adjustable and intervenable parameter throughout the vegetable oil processing method.

[0086] In the light of the above information, in each above-described version of the method for processing vegetable oils provided within the scope of the present application, by means of said process steps:

[0087] - said problems in the state of the art are overcome and optimal solutions are offered,

[0088] - a highly efficient and fast vegetable oil processing method that can take place at low temperature is offered,

[0089] - a vegetable oil processing method is presented, which enables the vegetable oil obtained as a result of said method steps to have a longer shelf life and to be of higher quality compared to vegetable oils on the market.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A method for processing vegetable oils, characterized by comprising the following steps: a) providing one or more vegetable oils; b) subjecting the vegetable oil provided in step a to a degumming process, thus obtaining an oil which has been partially or completely degummed; c) subjecting the oil provided in step b which has been partially or completely degummed to a deacidification process, thus obtaining an oil which has been partially or completely deacidified of acid content; d) subjecting the oil provided in step c which has been partially or completely deacidifed to a bleaching process, thus obtaining an oil which has been partially or completely bleached; e) subjecting the oil provided in step d which has been bleached to a deodorization process, thus obtaining an oil which has been partially or completely deodorized; f) performing a sonication process during one or more of steps b to e.

2. The method according to claim 1 , characterized in that the process of providing vegetable oil at step a comprises cold pressing and / or solvent extraction technique.

3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that a sonication process is performed during the process of providing vegetable oil in step a.

4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the degumming process in step b comprises the following steps: b1 ) washing the oil by contact with water,b2) contacting the oil washed in step b1 with one or more acids; wherein the sonication process is carried out in one or both of the steps b1 and b2.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the deacidification process of step c comprises contacting the partially or completely degummed oil provided in step b with one or more bases, and a sonication process is performed simultaneously.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the bleaching process of step d comprises contacting the partially or completely deacidified oil with one or more bleaching earths, and a sonication process is performed simultaneously.

7. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the deodorization process of step e comprises contacting the bleached oil with a saturated vapor, and a sonication process is performed simultaneously.

8. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that a frequency applied in sonication is less than 2000 kHz.

9. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that the frequency applied in the sonication is in the range from 10 kHz to 50 kHz.

10. The method according to claim 9, characterized in that the frequency applied in the sonication is in the range from 15 kHz to 25 kHz.

11. The method according to claim 10, characterized in that the frequency applied in the sonication is 20 kHz.

12. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 11 , characterized in that the sonication process is performed in each of steps b to e.

13. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the sonication process is performed in each of steps a to e.

14. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that one or more of steps b to e is performed in one or more vessels; and the method comprises performing the process of heat removal from said one or more vessels during sonication.

15. The method according to claim 14, characterized in that the heat removal process is performed by passing one or more fluids through one or more jackets in thermal communication with the vessel.