The three step chemical refining process of crude palm oil removes different compounds at each stage. In degumming, phosphatide gums are removed. Alkali neutralization removes soapstock and splits free fatty acids from soapstock. Bleaching and filtration then removes residual color using bleaching agents. Finally, deodorization removes odor compounds and peroxides to produce a bland, refined palm oil.

1. EXPLAIN THE CHEMICAL REFINING
PROCESS. DESCRIBE EXACTLY WHAT
IS/ARE REMOVED IN EACH STEP OF
THE REFINING PROCESS
Reference :
PROCESS DESIGN IN DEGUMMING AND BLEACHING OF
PALM OIL by PROF.MADYA DR. NOOR AZIAN MORAD,
PROF.MADYA MUSTAFA KAMAL ABD AZIZ &
ROHANI BINTI MOHD ZIN of CLEAR, UTM
CLEAR : CENTRE OF LIPIDS ENGINEERING AND APPLIED RESEARCH

2. CHEMICAL REFINING OF
CRUDE PALM OIL
• Also known as Alkali Refining
• A conventional method used to refine
crude palm oil
• This method involves THREE stages of
refining process
o Gum conditioning & Neutralization
o Bleaching & Filtration
o Deodorization

4. Degumming
Crude Palm Oil • Gums
Chemical Refining
(CPO)
Alkali Neutralization
• Soap Stock
Deodorization Bleaching • Soap Stock will then splits
to FFA
NBDPO

5. Stage 1: Gum Conditioning and
Neutralization
 Phosphatide portion of oil is removed
 Addition of some additives/agents under specific
condition eg: phosphoric acid and citric acid.
 The oil mass is then neutralised with alkali
 R-COOH + NaOH RCOONa + H2O

6. Stage 2 : Bleaching and Filtration
 In this operation, the oil is taken into cylindrical vessel
with agitator called `Bleacher' and kept under vacuum
and heated up to 90°C with steam.
 Bleaching agents will adsorb most of the residual
colour of the remaining oil after neutralisation

7.  Filtration through a standard plate and frame press
for separation
 Clear oil obtained is bleached oil
 In this operation, the coloured pigments in oil are
adsorbed by certain bleaching agents under specific
conditions

8. Stage 3 : Deodorization
• This bleached oil are then sent to a
cylindrical vessel called `Deodorizer’.
• This oil is then cooled and clarified
through a Filter Press to get sparkling oil.
• The purpose of deodorization is to
make oil blend and tasteless. In this
process, the
peroxide value of oil is brought down as
minimum as possible.