Vegetable oils; sunflower seed or safflower oil and their fractions, other than crude, whether or not refined, but not chemically modified

HS code 151219 covers the trade of refined sunflower seed or safflower oil and their fractions, excluding crude oil. This industry plays a vital role in the global vegetable oil market, providing a versatile and widely-used product for a range of applications, from food processing to industrial uses. As a major source of edible oil, the 151219 industry is an important component of the broader agricultural and food production sectors.

The production of refined sunflower seed or safflower oil (151219) typically involves several key steps. First, the raw sunflower seeds or safflower are cleaned, dehulled, and pressed to extract the crude oil. The crude oil is then refined through processes such as degumming, neutralization, bleaching, and deodorization to remove impurities and improve the oil's quality and stability. Finally, the refined oil may be further processed, such as by hydrogenation or fractionation, to produce the desired oil fractions.

The main inputs required for the 151219 industry include sunflower seeds or safflower, as well as various processing equipment and chemicals used in the refining process. Specialized machinery, such as oil presses, centrifuges, and distillation columns, are necessary to extract, purify, and fractionate the oil. Additionally, chemicals like phosphoric acid, sodium hydroxide, and bleaching earth are used in the refining steps to remove impurities and improve the oil's characteristics.

The primary output of the 151219 industry is refined sunflower seed or safflower oil, which can be further classified into various fractions based on their properties and intended uses. These refined oils are widely used in the food industry, as well as in the production of 340510 Polishes and creams, 340600 Candles and similar articles, and 382319 Chemical products and preparations of the chemical or allied industries. The industry's outputs may also be consumed by other 1512 Vegetable oils and their fractions industries, such as those producing 151211 Vegetable oils; soybean oil and its fractions or 151219 Vegetable oils; sunflower seed or safflower oil and their fractions, other than crude, whether or not refined, but not chemically modified.