What solvents are used in the palm kernel oil refining process?

Refining is further processing to obtain palm kernel oil better in color, smell and quality. The palm kernel oil refining process usually includes degumming, deacidification, decolorization and deodorization. Some solvents are used in the refining process, especially phosphoric acid solvent or food-grade NAOH solvent in degumming or deacidification respectively. The specific process and solvent included in palm kernel oil refining are below.

Palm kernel oil refining process

Firstly, phosphoric acid solvent will be added during the degumming process in palm kernel oil refining. Using the hydrophilicity of phospholipids and other peptized impurities, a certain amount of electrolyte solution is added to the oil to make the colloidal impurities absorb water, coagulate and separate from the oil. But note that phosphoric acid should be food grade.

Secondly, food grade NAOH solvent is added during deacidification in palm kernel oil refining. There is always a certain amount of free fatty acids in oils and fats, which affects the quality and storage of the oil. Alkali can neutralize most of the free fatty acids in the crude oil, and the resulting sodium salt is not easy to dissolve in the oil, and becomes floc and settles, so as to achieve the purpose of deacidification.

Then, in decolorization and deodorization of palm kernel oil refining, generally no more solvents will be added because the decolorization is to use the characteristics of the absorbent with strong absorption force to absorb the pigment and other impurities in the hot oil. When the adsorbent is filtered out, the absorbed pigment and impurities are also removed, so as to achieve the purpose of decolorization and purification. Deodorization is to use high vacuum, high temperature combined with direct steam stripping to distill and remove the gas components in the oil.

Palm kernel oil refining process and equipment is delicate and complex, but as a company that has been in the industry for decades, we have a lot of experience. If you want to know more details about palm kernel oil refining, please feel free to contact us.