Method of treating oilseed material

A process for treating a particulate full-fat oilseed, the oilseed material having at least approximately 10% fat content by weight and at least approximately 20% protein content by weight, comprising:

• mixing a lower alcohol with a proteinaceous oilseed material selected from the group consisting of rapeseed, cottonseed, peanuts and flaxseed, in a ratio that is at least approximately 9 pounds of alcohol to 60 pounds of oilseed material in a closed vessel such that the proteinaceous oilseed material/alcohol mixture is fluidized;
• introducing steam directly to the proteinaceous oilseed material/alcohol mixture to heat the material to a treatment temperature to a maximum of approximately 280.degree. F. thereby vaporizing the alcohol such that the alcohol is placed in intimate contact with the oilseed material under superatmospheric pressure;
• stopping the steam flow to the proteinaceous oilseed material/alcohol mixture after the treatment temperature has been reached;
• holding the oilseed material/alcohol in a temperature range of approximately 190.degree. F. to 280.degree. F. without further introduction of steam in direct contact with the oilseed material and until the oilseed material reaches a PDI of approximately less than 10;
• and
• venting the lower alcohol vapors from the enclosed vessel only after the oilseed material has reached a PDI of approximately 10 to subatmospheric pressure while holding the temperature of the proteinaceous oilseed material above the boiling point of the lower alcohol at the subatmospheric pressure thereby removing substantially all of the lower alcohol from the proteinaceous oilseed material.