Palm kernel within a palm fruit. The palm kernel is the edible seed of the oil palm fruit. The fruit yields two distinct oils: palm oil derived from the outer parts of the fruit, and palm kernel oil derived from the kernel.
What is palm kernel oil?
Palm kernel oil is an edible plant oil derived from the kernel of the oil palm tree Elaeis guineensis. It is related to two other edible oils: palm oil, extracted from the fruit pulp of the oil palm, and coconut oil, extracted from the kernel of the coconut.
Are palm kernels a coproduct of palm oil production?
Palm kernels are a coproduct of palm oil production, and as opposed to palm fruit, the kernels can be stored after they have been dried. This means that palm oil has to be produced at or near the plantation and that palm kernel oil production can be centralized. When the fresh fruit bunch (FFB) reaches the oil plant, it is sterilized with steam.
How much palm kernel oil is produced a year?
The quantity of palm kernel oil produced is on average 12% that of palm oil. World production in 1998 was 2.9 million tons. After extracting the oil from the palm fruit, a hard kernel is left behind. The kernel is related to a coconut, but with a diameter of about 1 inch.