Palm kernel oil (PKO) extraction and refining techniques involves operations such as sorting of kernels, handling, mechanical pressing, filtration of crude oil, thermal, chemical and physical treatment of crude oil to obtain desired edible oil that suits variety of applications.
How is palm oil reprocessed?
The first step of crude palm oil and palm kernel oil physical refining is the degumming, which consists of the removal of the phosphatides. When this content is low, as is the case for these oils, the dry degumming is the common way.
How many palm oil refineries are there in Malaysia?
In a span of 2 years, 15 palm oil refineries were already up and running in Malaysia, sending the country straight to the top as being one of the world’s leading palm oil exporters.
Why is palm kernel oil better than crude oil?
Due to high acidity and relatively low phosphatide content, palm and palm kernel oil are generally physically refined, which is preferred to the chemical process. The quality of the crude oils has to be considered as it can greatly affect the efficiency of the refining process.