palm oil refining process, palm oil production

Palm kernel oil is obtained from the kernel of the oil palm fruit, its composition and properties differ significantly from palm oil. Palm kernel oil is similar to coconut oil in terms of composition, and is produced by mechanical extraction of the kernels which are pre-dried in palm oil mills through a partial vacuum process, the quality of the oil is excellent, with free fatty acids of the crude oil generally below2%. It is light yellow in color and is refined physically to produce a light colored oil used for both edible and other purposes, the oil is also semi solid at ambient temperatures, it can be further fractionated to yield a high value fraction such as palm kernel stearin with good melting properties, the sharp melting profile also indicates that the oil is highly suitable for confectionery applications. Due to its rapid crystallization behavior, it is often used in enrobing or dipping products.