Extraction of Palm Oil

Summary

In this lecture, Professor ABD Karim from the University of Science Malaysia explores the comprehensive process of oil extraction, focusing on fats and oils. The discussion covers various methods of extraction, such as solvent extraction and physical extraction, to obtain crude oil from seeds like soybean, sunflower, and palm oil fruits. The process includes refining to purify the oil and modification techniques like hydrogenation to produce oil products with different properties. The extraction of palm oil, in particular, is examined in detail, highlighting each step from sterilization to the final refinement, including the production of both crude palm oil and palm kernel oil.

Takeaways

• 😀 Palm oil extraction begins with raw materials, such as seeds from soybean, cotton, sunflower, and oil palm fruits.
• 😀 Two primary extraction methods are used: solvent extraction with organic solvents and physical extraction using mechanical presses like screw presses.
• 😀 The crude oil obtained after extraction contains undesirable components like free fatty acids, phospholipids, pigments, and moisture, which must be refined.
• 😀 Refining oil involves removing impurities to create purified oil, which includes processes like degumming and deacidification.
• 😀 Modification of oils, such as through hydrogenation, inter-esterification, and fractionation, changes their physical properties for different food applications.
• 😀 Different oil products are produced based on the raw material, with palm oil being extracted from both the mesocarp (flesh) and the palm kernel (seed).
• 😀 Palm oil is extracted from the mesocarp, resulting in crude palm oil (dark orange), while palm kernel oil is derived from the kernel (white flesh).
• 😀 The extraction process includes sterilization, which deactivates lipolytic enzymes that could degrade oils by creating free fatty acids.
• 😀 After sterilization, the fruitlets are stripped from the fruit bunches, and the oil is extracted using mechanical presses or screw presses.
• 😀 The refining process involves removing undesirable components from crude oil, leading to the final product, such as refined, bleached, and deodorized (RBD) palm oil.

Q & A

What are the two main methods of oil extraction discussed in the script?

The two main methods of oil extraction discussed are solvent extraction, where an organic solvent is used to extract oil, and physical extraction, where mechanical presses like screw presses are used to physically expel oil from the raw material.

What is the first stage of oil processing as mentioned in the script?

The first stage of oil processing is the extraction of oil from the raw material, which results in crude oil that contains various undesirable components such as free fatty acids, phospholipids, pigments, and moisture.

What is the purpose of the refining process in oil processing?

The purpose of the refining process is to purify the crude oil by removing undesirable components, such as free fatty acids, phospholipids, and other impurities, to make the oil suitable for consumption or industrial use.

What are some common modification processes for oils mentioned in the script?

Common modification processes for oils include hydrogenation (to increase the melting point and solid fat content), inter-esterification, and fractionation. These processes aim to modify the physical properties of oils to create different oil products for various applications.

Which fruits and seeds are commonly used for oil extraction, according to the script?

Common sources for oil extraction include soybean seeds, cotton seeds, sunflower seeds, oil palm fruits, canola, corn, olive, linseed, castor, and coconut.

What is the difference between crude palm oil and palm kernel oil?

Crude palm oil is extracted from the mesocarp (flesh) of the oil palm fruit, while palm kernel oil is extracted from the kernel (seed) inside the fruit. The two oils have different physical and chemical compositions.

How does the sterilization process benefit the palm oil extraction?

The sterilization process deactivates lipolytic enzymes, such as lipase, which could cause hydrolysis of triglycerides and produce free fatty acids, an undesirable effect. The process also softens the fruit and facilitates the removal of fruitlets from the bunch.

What is the role of the screw press in the oil extraction process?

The screw press is used in the physical extraction method to mechanically expel oil from the raw material, such as seeds or fruitlets. It applies pressure to the material to extract the oil.

What happens to the oil palm fruit after harvesting?

After harvesting, the oil palm fruit bunches are transported to a factory where they go through various stages of processing, including sterilization, stripping of fruitlets, oil extraction, and purification to obtain crude palm oil and palm kernel oil.

What are the possible by-products of the refining process in palm oil production?

The refining process can produce by-products such as fatty acid distillates and soap stock, which are further processed or used in other industries.