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

Crude palm oil and refined palm oil are two types of palm oil products at different processing stages. They differ in processing technology, color, and smell, etc. The following is a detailed analysis of the difference between crude palm oil and refined palm oil:

1. Processing Technology

(1) Crude palm oil: Crude palm oil is a primary oil obtained by pressing or extracting from the fruit of the oil palm tree, usually without further processing. In addition, due to its simple processing technology, it contains more impurities and is easily oxidized and deteriorated, so it is not suitable for long-term storage.

(2) Refined palm oil: Refined palm oil is through a series of complex palm oil refining processes, including degumming, deacidification, decolorization, deodorization, etc., to remove harmful impurities in crude palm oil to make it meet national quality standards, improves its stability, and is conducive to long-term storage. It is important to note that the palm oil refining process does not remove all impurities in crude palm oil, but rather removes impurities selectively.

Complete set of palm oil refining process

2. Color

(1) Crude palm oil: Since the crude palm oil produced by pressing method contains more impurities and pigments, its color is usually darker and may appear reddish brown.

(2) Refined palm oil: After palm oil refining, its color becomes clearer, usually light yellow or almost colorless.

3. Smell

(1) Crude palm oil: Crude palm oil usually has a strong natural odor, which may include fruity, earthy or other natural aromas associated with the raw material. In addition, due to the unrefined process, crude palm oil may contain some impurities or volatile substances, which may affect its odor characteristics.

(2) Refined palm oil: After the palm oil refining process of removing free fatty acids, natural pigments, odors, etc., refined palm oil has a milder smell and no obvious odor. It is worth mentioning that the deodorization step in the palm oil refining process is particularly important, which helps to remove the unpleasant odor in crude palm oil and make refined palm oil more suitable for consumption and food processing.

Palm oil deodorization machine

4. Application Areas

(1) Crude palm oil: Crude palm oil has high impurity content and cannot be used for high-temperature processes such as frying and baking, so its application field is relatively limited. It is commonly used in industrial production, such as making soap, biodiesel and other industrial products.

(2) Refined palm oil: Refined palm oil has high purity and is suitable for a variety of processing needs. It is widely used in industrial production of various end products. It is also more suitable for consumption and is widely used in cooking and food processing industries.

5. Safety and Price

(1) Crude palm oil: Although crude palm oil is unrefined and may retain more natural ingredients, it contains more impurities and pollutants, which poses certain risks to health and is therefore less safe. Besides, due to its simple processing and relatively low cost, its price is also relatively cheap.

(2) Refined palm oil: The palm oil refining process can remove impurities and toxins that are harmful to the human body, making the palm oil safer, so the refined palm oil is more popular in the market, the safety is greatly improved, and it can meet higher food safety requirements. In addition, the palm oil refining process increases the production cost, so the refined palm oil price is usually higher than crude palm oil.

The picture of palm oil refining machine

In general, the difference between crude palm oil and refined palm oil exists in many aspects. Crude palm oil is favored for its lower cost and specific industrial applications, while refined palm oil has a place in the market for its high purity and suitability for consumption. When choosing, you should decide which type of palm oil to buy or produce based on your specific usage needs and budget. Henan Glory Company has been committed to palm oil production for a long time. If you want to start a palm oil business and want to learn more about palm oil refining knowledge, you can contact us. We have a professional team of engineers who will provide you with professional advice.