A METHOD FOR SIMULTANEOUS EXTRACTION AND REFINING OF PALM OIL

摘要

THE PRESENT INVENTION RELATES TO A METHOD FOR SIMULTANEOUSLY EXTRACTING AND REFINING PALM OIL BY USING SUPERERITICAL CO₂ AS EXTRACTION MEDIUM COMPRISING THE FOLLOWING STEPS: I) STERILIZING FRESH FRUIT BUNCHES (FFB); II) STRIPPING FRUITLETS FROM STERILIZED FFB; III) DIGESTING THE STRIPPED FRUITLETS FOR SEPARATING THEM INTO A PALM MESOCARP PORTION AND A PALM KERNEL PORTION; IV) DRYING THE PALM MESOCARP TO A MOISTURE CONTENT OF MAXIMUM 10 WT %; V) DISINTEGRATING THE DRIED PALM MESOCARP INTO SMALL PIECES OF FIBROUS MATERIAL; VI) CONDUCTING SUPERCRITICAL CO₂ EXTRACTION ON THE FIBROUS MATERIAL AT PRESSURE OF NOT MORE THAN 35 MPA (350 BAR) AND AT TEMPERATURE OF NOT MORE THAN 100°C; VII) COLLECTING EXTRACTS FROM THE SUPERERITICAL CO₂ EXTRACTION PROCESS WHEREBY FREE FATTY ACIDS (FFA) ARE COLLECTED WITHIN THE FIRST 5 HOURS OF EXTRACTION AND SUBSEQUENTLY REFINED PALM OIL IS COLLECTED.