Seed quality is also important, as seed harvested either before or after optimal ripeness can impart unwanted flavor or chemical characteristics to the oil produced from that seed. When green (not fully ripened) seed is pressed for oil, the smell it produces when pressed is not the same as the smell of ripe seed being pressed. Oil produced from green seed will not have the characteristics such as smell or taste desired in the finished oil. It is difficult to
produce high quality edible oils when starting with low quality seed.
Likewise, seed that contains mold from too much moisture during harvest or storage will have a noticeable odor and may contain toxins that carry through into the pressed oil.
