Defatted peanuts: Preliminary cost study

Defatted peanuts are high in protein and low in fat content. A preliminary cost study for defatting Virginia peanuts with hexane in three all-new hypothetical commerical plants indicates operating cost can be as low as 84 cents/lb of peanuts extracted when packaged in 502×308 tins. Cost in fully depreciated plants is as low as 61.5 cents for a volume of extracted peanuts equivalent to the amount of unextracted peanuts normally packaged in 502×308 tins. Process development shows promise for further reducing these costs which are based on limited exploratory pilot plant research. Presented at the Peanut Utilization Research Conference, Jan. 15–16, 1962, New Orleans, La. One of the laboratories of the Southern Utilization Research and Development Division, Agricultural Research Service, U.S.D.A.