noun. 1  1A mill or factory which processes food. 2  2A hand-operated kitchen utensil for purÃ©eing or straining food, having a rotating blade which pushes food through a perforated metal disc.
Silk is a natural protein fibre, some forms of which can be woven into textiles. The protein fibre of silk is composed mainly of fibroin and produced by certain insect larvae to form cocoons. The best-known type of silk is obtained from the cocoons of the larvae of the mulberry silkworm Bombyx mori reared in captivity.ilk is a natural protein fibre, some forms of which can be woven into textiles. The protein fibre of silk is composed mainly of fibroin and produced by certain insect larvae to form cocoons. The best-known type of silk is obtained from the cocoons of the larvae of the mulberry silkworm Bombyx mori reared in captivity.
This silk cocoon is made of one single thread of raw silk that ranges from 1,000 to more than 3,000 feet in length. The silk is produced in the salivary glands of the silkworm and it is used for protection during the silkwormâs pupal stage. Because silk is considered one of the worldâs most beautiful fabrics, it is estimated that approximately 75 million pounds of raw silk are produced each year. It takes more than 3,000 cocoons to make one pound of silk and more than 10 billion pounds of mulberry leaves to feed the silkworms that produce the silk.