Process and apparatus for flaxseed component separation

A process for producing separate components from flaxseed hulls comprising the steps of:

• (a) drying the flaxseed to reduce the moisture content to a level of from about 0.5% to about 3.0%;
• (b) continuously introducing dried flaxseed into a separation chamber having an abrasive rotator therein;
• (c) flowing the dried flaxseed past the abrasive rotator at a rate sufficient to allow dehulling of flaxseed during contact with the abrasive rotator, producing hulls and kernels;
• (d) separating the hulls and kernels;
• (e) extracting the hulls to remove gum and oil, producing flaxseed gum, flaxseed hull oil and a lignan-rich component of flaxseed,
• wherein the step of extracting the hulls comprises extracting the hulls with water to remove flaxseed gum, producing a high-gum fraction and a low-gum hull fraction;
• and extracting the low-gum hull fraction with hexane to remove oil, producing flaxseed hull oil and a lignan-rich component of flaxseed.

A process for producing separate components from flaxseed hulls comprising the steps of:

• (a) drying the flaxseed to reduce the moisture content to a level of from about 0.6% to about 3.0%;
• (b) continuously introducing dried flaxseed into a separation chamber having an abrasive rotator therein;
• (c) flowing the dried flaxseed pest the abrasive rotator at a rate sufficient to allow dehulling of flaxseed during contact with the abrasive rotator, producing hulls and kernels;
• (d) separating the hulls and kernels;
• (e) extracting the hulls to remove gum and oil, producing flaxseed gum, flaxseed hull oil and a lignan-rich component of flaxseed,
• wherein the step of extracting the hulls comprises extracting the hulls with hexane to remove oil, producing a high-oil fraction and a low-oil hull fraction;
• and extracting the low-oil hull fraction with water to remove flaxseed gum, producing a high-gum fraction and a lignan-rich component of flaxseed.