Plantation Crops

Stages of processing

PALM OIL PROCESSING UNIT OPERATIONS

Sterillization brings about

• Inactivation of lipase and lypolytic enzyme activity i.e., fat splitting enzyme which are responsible for increase in FFA.
• Loosening of fruits for easy separation
• Softening of fruits facilitating digestion,
• Coagulaton of mesocarp proteins.
• Stripping: Fruits are separated from the bunches. How?
• Fruit digestion : During digestion p rocess there will be release of oil from the pulp i.e. conversion in to oily slurry (mesocarp) How ?
• Pressing : Separation of liquid component from thee solid.
• Clarification : Oil is cleaned of water, cell debris and particles of fibre and shell.
• Crude palm oil === Refining ---- Palmolein ------- Further purified Palmolein has thick consistency , red colour

Production of Edible oil
< 2 per cent free fatty acid content : In edible oil the free fatty acid content should not exceed 2 per cent .
• At present in India the oil produced is of poor quality due to bad quality of FFB supplied from farmers.
• If quality FFB is supplied to the processing units production of edible grade oil can be ( i.e., < 2 % Free fatty acids) achieved.