Argan Oil Production
How argan oil is manufactured? / Production
Argan oil is available in two variations – Argan oil from roasted seed (gourmet oil) and argan oil from natural seed – extra virgin oil (gourmet-/ cosmetic- and remedy-oil).
Argan oil for gourmets has a delicate nutty flavor, which comes from the light roasting. Its color is brownish-golden.
Argan oil – extra virgin is a fine and light oil with its very own smell and taste. You will recognize it by its bright golden-yellow color.
The production of argan oil requires above all a lot of manual labor. Initially only argan fruits which the tree itself gives away, this means which has fallen naturally and can be picked up from the ground are used for the production. Shake off or pull down of the fruits would damage the tree and its natural growth and the result of this could be that he dies or bears less fruit.
The fruits which are picked up by hands are now dried in the hot Moroccan sun. Again by manual work the dried skin of the fruit is removed and also the very hard shell around the argan seeds. Both made with two stones.
Foto: Martin und Kathy Dady
The exposed argan seeds will further by manual work processed in a traditional oil mill into a pulp and by adding water the oil is separated from the pulp or paste by kneading by hand. The mechanical oil pressing is less labor intensive, more fruitful and hygienic. Hereby the argan oil is extracted carefully through a screw press without adding water. This increases the durability of the argan oil. For the manufacturing from 1 liter oil are 36 kg fruits (about 2,7 kg cores) required. The residual press cake is still valuable. He will feed to goats or used for soap production. From him a second pressing can be made but with inferior oil.
After the pressing the oil is decanted and filtered. The decantation ensures that the in the beginning turbid argan oil becomes clear by removing the pressing residues. The filtration increases again the purity and clear golden-yellow color of the oil, depending on the desired level of purity this is done up to twice.