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MALAYSIAN OIL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY - MOSTA
MALAYSIAN
 OIL SCIENCE
         AND
TECHNOLOGY
                                                                               Vol. 27 No. 2 (2018)

    Hybrid OxG Palms:             GM Soy: High-Yield,            GM-Canola for LC
    High Oleic Oils               High Oleic Oils                ω3 Oils

    Coconut Revival: New Products

                                                                New Technologies
                                                                in PO Milling
                                                                Innovations: Food
                                                                Quality & Safety
                                                                Disruptive IR 4.0
                                                                Transforming the
                                                                PO Industry

USD 12.00/RM 30.00 • FREE FOR MEMBERS
THE PUBLICATION OF THE MALAYSIAN         OILand
                        Malaysian Oil Science SCIENTISTS’
                                                Technology 2018AND
                                                                Vol. 27TECHNOLOGISTS’
                                                                        No. 2         ASSOCIATION
                                                                                              a
MALAYSIAN OIL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY - MOSTA
MALAYSIAN OIL SCIENTISTS’ AND TECHNOLOGISTS’ ASSOCIATION
  (PERSATUAN AHLI SAINS AND TECHNOLOGI MINYAK MALAYSIA)

     29th ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
              27th April 2019 at 9am
            Hall 2, Level 4 Crystal Crown Hotel
                  Petaling Jaya, Selangor

The Future of Palm Oil Industry
        Through IR 4.0
    1-Day Best Practices Workshop by
         MOSTA & FUSIONEX
                Thursday, 25 April 2019

      Fusionex office, Level 12, Tower A, Plaza 33,
 No. 1 Jalan Kemajuan, Section 13, 46200 Petaling Jaya

                      Limited Places
                  200 max (contact MOSTA)
MALAYSIAN OIL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY - MOSTA
Malaysian Oil Science and Technology (MOST)

INTERNATIONAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE:                                                         COVER STORY
James Fry        (LMC,UK)                                        While there are much geopolitical turmoil and
Dennis J. Murphy (Murphy Biotechnology
                                                                 demographic problems in many parts of the world,
                 Consultancy, United Kingdom)
                                                                 great strides have been made in agricultural oil and
Paul Hovelmann (Cognis, Holland/Germany)
Thomas Mielke (ISTA Mielke, Germany)                             food crops. Record yields of soybean are coming from
Yusof Basiron    (Malaysia)                                      highly mechanised US farms (Barton) and higher-
Marc Kellens     (Desmet Ballestra Group, Belgium)               yielding, high-oleic GM soybeans are benefiting the
                                                                 farmers. Hybrid OxG oil palms (Teo & Wong) have been
EDITORIAL BOARD                                                  developed for higher oleic oils, higher tocotrienols and
Chairman                                                         many other useful traits. Except for the coconut (Dayrit
S.H. Goh		 +6012-363 1948                                        & Salum) there has generally been an oversupply of
			 +603-7958 1391                                               edible oils and this has led to much trade frictions
			 +614-3194 0825                                               giving rise to intense negative campaigns against
			chmgsh@yahoo.com                                              tropical oils with perceived sustainability issues (Park).
			chmgsh@gmail.com                                              Additionally low uptake from the biodiesel sector
Members:                                                         coupled with volatile petroleum crude have led to
Tang Thin Sue                                                    depressed prices (Park; Benny Lee) of most edible oils.
S.F. Cheng
Chuah Cheng Hock                                                 High quality palm oils are available from present
M.R. Chandran                                                    plantations with the adoption of best practices (Lee)
S. Krishnan                                                      and recommendations for new quality guidelines of
Teh Soek Sin                                                     CPO (3.5% FFA & DOBI > 2.5) for food uses have been
Mah Siau Hui                                                     made (Kellens et al). For new food safety demands on
                                                                 levels of process contaminants from the EU, refining
MOSTA Council Members 2017/2018                                  options and affordable modifications to present
Academician Emeritus Prof Tan Sri Datuk Dr Augustine S H Ong     physical refining operations have been detailed
Mr S. Krishnan                                                   (Kellens et al; Lee).
Prof Dr Chuah Cheng Hock
Ms Christine Ong May Ee                                          Meanwhile, GM canola has been able to produce
Dr Goh Swee Hock                                                 long chain omega-3 oils (Abeywardena) which will
Datuk Dr Choo Yuen May                                           provide the much needed nutrient as natural marine
Mr MR Chandran                                                   fish resources are being exhausted. Soy and oil palms
Mr Lee Keong Hoe                                                 can soon provide high oleic oils much demanded by
Ms Khor Yu Leng                                                  consumers while MCT oils from the coconut and palm
Tunku Alina Alias                                                kernels are beginning to be appreciated as replantings
Printing:
                                                                 of coconut will hopefully fulfill new demands (Dayrit &
Percetakan Soon Lee Heng Sdn Bhd                                 Salum). The oil palm (Teo & Wong) has specialty Elaeis
15, Jalan Besar, Selayang Baru                                   cultivars to provide high tocotrienols and omega-7
68100 Batu Caves, Selangor                                       oils, as well as other traits.
Layout:
Public Media Agency Sdn Bhd
717, Menara Mutiara Majestic, Jalan Othman                       Acknowledgements: Pictures & Chart from CK Wong, USDA,
46000 Petaling Jaya, Selangor                                    Dayrit & Salum, SH Goh and Benny Lee
www.publicmediaagency.org
publicmedia.agency@gmail.com

                                     Malaysian Oil Science and Technology 2018 Vol. 27 No. 2                              i
MALAYSIAN OIL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY - MOSTA
Malaysian Oil Science and Technology (MOST)

EDITORIAL POLICY                                               INFORMATION
MOST is a regular bulletin devoted to furthering               ARTICLES: Contributions are invited for feature
the objectives of Malaysian Oil Scientists’ and                articles, news items, newsletters, letter to the
Technologists’ Association. This is to promote interest        editor, general articles, research papers, review to
in all aspects of oils and fats in Malaysia, regionally        the community involved in oils and fats including
and worldwide. Articles of interest could be directed          business managers, chemists, engineers, scientists,
to the layman, technologist, scientist, researcher or          technologists and other personnel involved in various
the entrepreneur. News of the association’s activities         commercial aspects of oils and fats. All articles will
and developments in oils and fats will be routinely            be refereed and suitably edited before publication.
published.                                                     Letters to the editor are also acceptable after editing.
The views expressed by the contributors are not                FORMAT: Instructions to authors may be obtained
necessarily endorsed by MOSTA. The editorial board             from the Editor or recent issues of MOST may be used
and the referees would do their best to ascertain              as examples. General instructions are similar to the
authenticity and accuracy of information on all articles       format required by major international journals and
and MOSTA reserves the right to alter or to omit any           include the following: TITLE, Abstract, Text with major
article or advertisement submitted. No responsibility          headings (Introduction, Materials and Methods,
is accepted by the association, the editor or the printer      Results and Discussion, Acknowledgements and
for the accuracy of the information contained in the           References). Abbreviations, symbols and units used
text and advertisement. MOSTA requires indemnity               are as by the best of international journals. In addition
from advertisers and contributors against damages              to a hard-copy, authors are encouraged to send with
which may arise from materials published.                      their papers as attachments in e-mail for easy editing
                                                               using Word or other common IBM-PC software.
All materials in MOST are copyright and should not
be reproduced wholly or in part without the written            ADVERTISEMENTS: Advertisers are welcomed to
consent of the editor.                                         place their Ads, which will be printed at reasonable
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Materials for publication should be submitted
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month’s editorial/refereeing work prior to publication.        subscribe to this publication.
Guidelines of formatting of technical material may be
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published after editing.                                       MOSTA SECRETARIAT:
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Deadlines for publishing edited versions and                   Tel : 603-7118 2062 / 64 Fax: 603-7118 2063
advertisements are 20 days before the publication              E-mail: mosta.secretariat@gmail.com
dates of each volume.                                          Website: http://www.mosta.org.my

ii                                Malaysian Oil Science and Technology 2018 Vol. 27 No. 2
MALAYSIAN OIL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY - MOSTA
CONTENTS
  i      Cover Story
  ii     Editorial Policy
  iii    Contents
  iv     Editorial

  69     REFINING CRUDE PALM OIL: CURRENT STATUS AND LATEST DEVELOPMENT
         TO ENSURE HIGH FOOD OIL QUALITY AND SAFETY
         Mark Kellens, Wim De Greyt and Antonios Papastergiadis

  83     DEVELOPING INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGIES FOR PALM OIL MILLING:
         CHALLENGING - ENRICHING - PROFITABLE JOURNEYS
         K.H. Lee

  94     ADVANCES ON BREEDING FOR HYBRID OxG OILS
         C.J. Teo and C.K. Wong

  104    PRICE OUTLOOK: PALM OIL USE IN FOOD, OLEO AND BIOFUELS
         (EU, US, CHINA, JAPAN AND INDONESIA)
         Meezy Park

  109    IT/AI SOLUTIONS FOR THE PALM OIL INDUSTRY
         Ivan Teh

  113    RISING GLOBAL DEMAND FOR LONG-CHAIN OMEGA3 PUFAS:
         EMERGING SOLUTIONS FOR A SUSTAINABLE SUPPLY
         Mahinda Abeywardena

  118    WORLD SCENARIO OF SOYBEAN OIL & PROTEIN: CURRENT STATUS
         (PRODUCTION, APPLICATIONS, MARKET TRENDS), ISSUES, CHALLENGES
         AND FUTURE PROSPECTS
         Rich Barton

  127    GLOBAL SCENARIO OF COCONUT OIL
         Fabian M. Dayrit and Uron N. Salum

  146    ANTICIPATING 2019 MARKET DIRECTION AMIDST CHALLENGES
         Benny Lee

  vii    News
  ix     Talking Points
  xi     On A Lighter Note
  xiii   Index

                  Malaysian Oil Science and Technology 2018 Vol. 27 No. 2   iii
MALAYSIAN OIL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY - MOSTA
Editorial

Volatile and Sinking Markets                                   The background noise may be the tit-for-tat tariff trade
                                                               war, but it is for the all-important domination of the
Crude oil staged a brave comeback hitting $76 in the           advanced digital technology and global cyberspace.
climb towards the $100 mark (in anticipation of a total
Iranian oil ban) but only to fall back dramatically to $50
(when waivers to China and other countries were given          More Than A Palmful of Problems
for importing Iranian oil), an obvious consequence
                                                               The anti-palm oil campaign from EU is one case where
of too much political interventions. A low oil price is
                                                               the glut of palm oil has been considered a threat to
welcome for energy consumers (cheaper transport
                                                               competing oil crops, especially in EU. The rapid growth
and manufacturing) as GDPs can be raised 0.5-0.7%
                                                               of production of palm oil, which cannot be halted once
per $10 drop in price for importing countries. Over the
                                                               the trees are planted, has come about with producers
longer term, oil is predicted to keep rising as supplies
                                                               not taking this (marketing) into consideration. And on
can be bolstered by hydraulic fracking technology
                                                               hindsight the total takeovers of British and French oil
when prices are above $50, and probably peak oil
                                                               palm companies may not have been wise by reducing
could occur around 2050. Low petroleum crude prices
                                                               such European stakeholders.
depress CPO prices in view of the Fry’s price band
relationship due to biodiesel (Park).                          Previously the US which hardly imports any palm oil
                                                               (< 1%) for consumption, had launched a preemptive
Geopolitics and the US-China trade war affect other
                                                               health campaign against palm to slow its growth but
commodities such as soybeans apart from edible oils
                                                               this has now been agreed by all parties to be baseless,
(Barton; Park) while unnecessary waste of resources
                                                               unfair and unjustified. Palm oil, kernel oil and the
and increase in carbon footprint are seen as China
                                                               coconut (Dayrit & Salum) are now much appreciated
buys soybeans from S America which had been
                                                               by consumers and manufacturers for nutritional
diverted from US. The slide in prices for soybeans and
                                                               goodness and functional versatility. Furthermore, for
soyoil will cap and depress palm oil prices. Even after
                                                               many competing polyunsaturated oils, a ban has now
the temporary tariff truce, economic uncertainties
                                                               been made on trans fats from partial hydrogenation
remain and negative effects on global trade will
                                                               of such oils, on top of the warning against excessive
cause persistent volatility. Inability to be competitive
                                                               intake of omega-6 oils.
in free trade on many areas has been distorted in the
guise of sustainability, labour exploitation, or even          It is clear that wealthy first world nations are not
national security issues whether they be edible oils           enthusiastic of palm oil as nature’s gift to the world:
and soybeans (Barton; Park; Dayrit & Salum) or high            where sight is given to those potentially going blind
technology products/services. It is clear that most rich       for lack of vitamin A (abundant in CPO); potential
nations including the present superpower will do their         prevention of strokes and Alzheimer’s disease from
utmost to maintain their present leadership advantage.         palm tocotrienols and MCTs from kernel oil; nutritional

iv                                Malaysian Oil Science and Technology 2018 Vol. 27 No. 2
MALAYSIAN OIL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY - MOSTA
EDITORIAL

heart-healthy palm olein is provided with high sn-2            of global debt, with the two biggest economies also
unsaturation and for use as one of the best frying             competing in the race to the bottom. The toppish
oils; palm kernel oil is provided with medium chain            global markets combined with trade conflicts could be
triglycerides having special nutritional values; and the       early signs that a correction of global financial excesses
availability of new potential health-giving omega-7            is about to begin or has begun.
oils. On sustainability there is no other more productive
oil crop than the oil palm: averaging 4-8 times more
yield than other major competing oil crops; ability to
                                                               Biofuels
supply about 30% of oils to the world while using only         Weak crude oil prices mean weak edible oil prices due
6.6% of the land used for other oil crops; sparing use of      to the relationship with biodiesel, which the present
only 1/7 of fertilizers as compared to other oil crops; a      excess production has been targeted for use in the
palm tree which is a net sequester of CO2 and provider         mitigation of climate change. However nations may
of green tree cover; sustainable (RSPO & MPSO) palm            have found that it is economically more profitable to
oils will be produced more than market uptake as all           be in the climate denial camp in an era of cheap fossil
oil palms will be MSPO-certified in Malaysia by 2019.          fuels, apart from the fading enthusiasm in the use of
                                                               biofuels against climate change. Further, an adaptive
Meanwhile refined palm oils, having relatively more
                                                               strategy to negative effects seems to be gaining
diacylglycerols, face a new problem of trace process
                                                               optimistic acceptance. Excess palm oil from increasing
contaminants (GE and 3-MCPDE), but these are also
                                                               supplies from Indonesia due to maturing palms has
found in other oils that are physically refined. Mitigation
                                                               been unable to find the anticipated biodiesel market
procedures have been recommended (Kellens et al;
                                                               in developed countries which had to support their
Lee). In view of the stringent requirements demanded
                                                               domestic crops rather than the cheaper palm oil.
by EU, added costs are inevitable for physical refining
                                                               Thus, it has been disastrous for palm oil prices even
while recommendations have been made to produce
                                                               as biodiesel finds aggressive use in the home markets
better quality CPOs with less FFA (Kellens et al; Lee).
                                                               (B20 in Indonesia; B10 in Malaysia by Dec 2018).
The problems of the world trade and economy are                Indonesia’s tax structure for B20 biodiesel mandate
complex, even if it is free and fair trade being targeted      is commendable but implementation over the vast
to find solutions. Population pressures (Barton) and the       number of the nation’s islands may be challenging.
quest for dominance of technology are difficult issues,        Meanwhile the continuing increase in production from
whereby competition in agricultural produce now                Indonesia for 2019 will affect prices negatively (Park),
pales in significance. It is political agenda but nothing      even as price discovery and forecast is becoming
associated with sustainability of supply of food               more of a Nostradamus art in the present politically
calories, the abundance of which have come about               uncertain and volatile era (technical chart by Benny
from advances in science in general and genomics               Lee in cover page).
in particular. This fact should be enforced unto the
                                                               With so many economic problems on the plate, climate
mindsets of environmentalists, conservationists and
                                                               deniers seem to have gained the upper hand and a
climate specialists who are pushing all the blame on
                                                               new political trend seems to be for an adaptation to
poor palm farmers; in Malaysia there has always been
                                                               global temperature rise. EU’s enthusiasm for biofuels
much available agricultural jobs for people of poorer
                                                               to mitigate climate change has waned with uncertain
neighbouring countries. Negative campaigns should
                                                               mandates and they are pushing hard for the phasing
target for less consumption (by the wealthy) of pasture
                                                               out of palm biodiesel by 2030. Perhaps, the previous
animal meats which have caused the highest carbon
                                                               drive for aviation biofuels could be rekindled as no
footprints (Barton).
                                                               other energy source can reduce this source of GHG
There are bigger world economic issues than concerns           emissions. The technology is ripe to collaboratively
of food, excess or lack of it, and it could be population      produce aviation jet fuel at reduced costs on
growth (Barton) within a planet of finite resources. But       economies of scale.
lurking in the background is the unsolvable problem

                                   Malaysian Oil Science and Technology 2018 Vol. 27 No. 2                             v
MALAYSIAN OIL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY - MOSTA
PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK

vi   Malaysian Oil Science and Technology 2018 Vol. 27 No. 2
MALAYSIAN OIL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY - MOSTA
Refining Crude Palm Oil:
                                Current Status and Latest
                                Development to ensure High
                                Food Oil Quality and Safety
                                 Mark Kellens, Wim De Greyt and Antonios Papastergiadis
                                 Desmet Ballestra Group, Belgium
                                 [Lecture presented at OFIC2018 Conference, 17th Oct 2018, Kuala Lumpur]

Introduction                                                 Why is palm oil under fire?
The growth of production of palm oil has been                Some perceived reasons may be the following:
immense and it has become the dominant edible in the         • Deforestation & destruction of wildlife habitat
world (Fig. 1). In the years 1999 to 2018 Malaysian CPO      • Disregard of local community rights
production has been increasing (except in few years)         • Impact on global warming
at about 0.5 MMT/yr while higher growth was from
                                                             • Ethical issue of food oil used for fuel
Indonesia at ~ 1.75 MMT/yr. Most of the oil has been
used in food with minor uses in surfactants, biodiesel,
oleochemicals, etc (Fig. 1). Palm oil is the number 1        What may be the other reason for anti-palm oil campaign?
food oil (>30%) and will continue to strengthen its          • Too efficient, too versatile & too cheap?
position in the coming decades.
                                                             • Has it become a political matter, as other oils are
                                                               being threatened?

                            Figure 1. Production of palm oil and its widespread uses

                                 Malaysian Oil Science and Technology 2018 Vol. 27 No. 2                          69
MALAYSIAN OIL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY - MOSTA
REFINING CRUDE PALM OIL: CURRENT STATUS AND LATEST DEVELOPMENT TO ENSURE HIGH FOOD OIL QUALITY AND SAFETY

                                                    OIL QUALITY

                                                      REFINING
                                                      PROCESS
                 PLANT EFFICIENCY                                               PROCESS SUSTAINABILITY

                       Figure 2. Efficient and sustainable refining processes for quality oils

• Is it healthy (more saturated fats) and safe (can have      Cost-Efficient Sustainable Production of High
  more 3-MCPDE/GE) to use?                                    Quality Palm Oil
• Is the consumer made aware of the real facts?
                                                              Oil processors and technology providers are
                                                              continuously looking for solutions to solve current
What is the alternative?                                      problems and prepare for new challenges to come.
                                                              Oil can be refined to the desired quality and safety
There is no alternative as no other crop is as efficient      standards of consumer needs while balanced by cost
as the oil palm and no other oil is as versatile as palm      and sustainability (Fig. 2)
and palm kernel oils. “Half of the world’s population
uses palm oil in food, and if we ban or boycott it,
other, more land-hungry oils will likely take place”.-        Oil Refining
Inger Anderson, IUCN Director General. There will be
                                                              Oil refining means the removal of unwanted
environmental disasters and total climate change as
                                                              minor components while avoiding production of
it will need as much as five to ten times more land
                                                              contaminants as illustrated in Fig. 3. Refining removes
need to be found to cultivate other oil crops to replace
                                                              unwanted foreign as well as oil-related impurities and
palm oil.
                                                              at the same time limit or eliminate process-related
The answer is to make all production follow the               contaminants. With improved analytical detection
sustainable production methods as well as oil                 methods, more trace process contaminants (3-MCPDE
processing techniques to be food-safe. The palm oil           and GE) have been detected in oils and technologies
industry is taking measures to ensure sustainable             have to be modified to reduce or eliminate them.
production of high quality crude palm oil for food            GE and 3-MCPDE are new trace contaminants found
uses but these need time for implementation of                in all edible oils and are compared to other trace
new policies.                                                 contaminants as well as the much larger levels of trans
                                                              fat components (Fig. 4).

                 Crude Oil                           REFINING                                 Refined Oil

                 FOREIGN                          OIL-RELATED                              PROCESS-RELATED
                 Pesticides                           Gums                                        TFA
                   PAHs                                FFA                                      Polymers
                    PCB                            Color bodies                                 Acrolein
                  Dioxins                       Oxidation products                           Dialkylketones
                 Aflatoxins                           Metals                                  3-MCPDE/GE
                     ...                                ...                                         ...

           Figure 3. Refining to remove unwanted components and limit process -related contaminants

70                               Malaysian Oil Science and Technology 2018 Vol. 27 No. 2
REFINING CRUDE PALM OIL: CURRENT STATUS AND LATEST DEVELOPMENT TO ENSURE HIGH FOOD OIL QUALITY AND SAFETY

   1Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons; 2Mostly Aflatoxins in peanut oil; 3Mainly in Marine oils;

   Risk

                                      Figure 4. Comparison of some contaminants of concern

                                                       Highest levels of 3-MCPDE
                                                          and GE are found in
                                                       physically refined Palm oil

                                                   3-MCPD esters ≠ Glycidyl Esters

                                    Main precursors                                     Main precursors
                                  3-MCPDE Chloride                                       GE     “DAG”
                                    (“organic”/ acid)                                    (FFA/alkaline)

                               Figure 5. Nature and formation of 3-MCPDE and GE in oils and fats

Process Contaminants in Food Oils: the Ongoing the presence of chloride impurity. They are formed
Challenge for Palm Oil                         differently and have different properties and require
                                                                             different and specific mitigation solutions.
Glycidyl esters (GE) and mono-chloropropandiol
esters (MCPDE) are newly detected trace processed
components found in edible oils and fats and the                             Targets Limits for GE
highest levels are found in physically refined palm                          Maximum levels for GE are described in the annex
oils. The chemical structures and their formation are                        to regulation (EC) No 1881/2006, section 1 in the
summarized in Fig. 5. The common precursors are the                          COMMISSION REGULATION (EU) 2018/290 of 26
high levels of diacyglycerol (DAG) in crude palm oil and                     February 2018 as given below:

 208    Glycidyl fatty acid esters expressed as glycidol                                                  Maximum level (μg/kg)
 			                                                                                                      ppm
 4.2.1. Vegetable oils and fats placed on the market for the                                              (1000)
        final consumer or for use as an ingredient in food with                                           1
        the exception of the foods referred to in 4.2.2
 4.2.2. Vegetable oils and fats destined for the production of baby food                                  (500)
        and processed cereal-based food for infants and young children                                    0.5

                                            Malaysian Oil Science and Technology 2018 Vol. 27 No. 2                           71
REFINING CRUDE PALM OIL: CURRENT STATUS AND LATEST DEVELOPMENT TO ENSURE HIGH FOOD OIL QUALITY AND SAFETY

As GE get enriched in Palm olein, industry may need to            Target Levels for 3-MCPDE
set lower limits for RBDPO (?), such as
                                                                  New suggested maximum 3-MCPDE levels according
< 0.7 ppm GE for category 4.2.1 (?)                               to regulation (EC) No 1881/2006, section 1 (Draft
< 0.3 ppm GE for category 4.2.2 (?)                               released on 4 October 2018):

As 3-MCPDE get enriched in palm olein, industry may               Conventional Route of Physical Refining of Palm Oil
need to set lower limits for RBDPO (?)
		 < 1.5 ppm 3-MCPDE for category 4.3.1 (?)                       Physical refining may be summarized below to provide
		 < 0.5 ppm 3-MCPDE for category 4.3.2 (?)                       the desired refined oil of the desired specifications:

     CPO             Dry acid pretreatment                   Bleaching with ABE                   Stripping-deodorization

                   Hydrating gums, reaction           Absorbing impurities, breaking           Removing FFA, heat bleaching,
                        with metals…                       down pigments…                       eliminating taste and odour,
                                                                                                    improving stability…

     RBDPO:			                                  PORAM spec                               Industry
     FFA (%palmitic acid):                      0.1% max                                 0.03-0.05% max
     M&I:			                                    0.1% max                                 0.01-0.05% max
     Colour (5.25” Lovibond cell):              3 red max                                1.5-2.5 red max
     M.Pt (AOCS Cc 3-25):                       33-39°C                                  (ns)
     IV (Wijs):		 50-55                         (50.5-52.5)
     PV:			                                     (ns)                                     nil
     Taste:			                                  (ns)                                     bland
     P:				                                     (ns)                                     1-3 ppm max

72                                   Malaysian Oil Science and Technology 2018 Vol. 27 No. 2
REFINING CRUDE PALM OIL: CURRENT STATUS AND LATEST DEVELOPMENT TO ENSURE HIGH FOOD OIL QUALITY AND SAFETY

Conventional Physical Refining of CPO                       is then followed by a single temperature and pressure
                                                            stripping-deodorization (Fig. 7).
Conventional CPO refinery uses dry acid pretreatment
plus bleaching but not wet pretreatment (Fig. 6). This

                 Figure 6. Conventional physical refining: dry acid pretreatment and bleaching

        Figure 7. Conventional physical refining: single temperature & pressure stripping deodorization

                                Malaysian Oil Science and Technology 2018 Vol. 27 No. 2                       73
REFINING CRUDE PALM OIL: CURRENT STATUS AND LATEST DEVELOPMENT TO ENSURE HIGH FOOD OIL QUALITY AND SAFETY

Mitigation of the formation of GE and 3-MCPDE has                           Processors may not like it as there are higher utility
been examined from various technological aspects                            costs in NaOH and H2SO4, higher oil losses (acid oils
(Fig. 8). CPO quality remains an important parameter                        vs deodorizer distillate), and troublesome soapstock
to be able to achieve low levels of 3-MCPDE. Fig. 9                         splitting forming more waste water. With 70 MMT/
provides data from reasonably good quality CPO from                         yr of CPO produced chemical refining may not be
physical refining but better values come from chemical                      the solution.
refining. Chemical refining is effective process solution
for CPO as for other edible oils for low 3-MCPDE.

                                                                         fresh oil with high DOBI
Crude Palm Oil                            QUALITY                       -Low FFA / low DAG (GE)                    CPO washing
                                                                        -low Chloride (3-MCPDE)

                                                                        Mitigation options                         Solutions

                                                                        low Chloride (3-MCPDE)
Crude Palm Oil                            QUALITY                       fresh oil with high DOBI                   CPO washing
                                                                        Low FFA / low DAG (GE)

DRY DEGUMMING                                                            Wet degumming (enzyme?)                   Acid washing
0.05-0.15% H3PO4(85%)                                                    Other degumming acid
70-90°C, 1-15 min                                                       - No acid at all > caustic                 neutralising

                                          3-MCPDE
BLEACHING 0.6-1.2%                                                      Natural bleaching earth
Activated Bleaching                                                     Silicas/silicates /zeolites                Modified bleaching
Earth, 90-110°C, 20-40                                                  Combination of adsorbents,                 (NBE)
min, 30-100 mbar                                                        acid & alkaline conditions

DEODORIZATION 250-                                                      Lower temp / longer time                   Dual temp stripping /
265°C, 45-90 min                                                        Dual temp stripping/deodo                  deodorising
2-4 mbar, 0.6-1.2%                                                      Low P (1-2 mbar)
stripping steam
                                          GE
                                                                        Post-bleaching/deodorising                 Mild refining

Refined Palm Oil                                                        Post-stripping                             Low P

                                   Figure 8. Useful conditions in physical refining to mitigate 3-MCPDE

1. Chemical Refining is the Best Solution for Low 3-MCPDE (& GE)?
Data from experiments on chemical refining are given in Fig. 9, where low guideline levels can be achieved.

                                                                                           Industrial + lab refined samples
             3-MCPDE (ppm)

                               1
                                                                                                 3-MCPD Esters in
                                                                                              Chemical Refined Palm Oil
                             0.5
                                                                                         CPO quality remains the key factor

                                   Figure 9. Chemical refining can achieve the lowest levels of 3-MCPDE

74                                             Malaysian Oil Science and Technology 2018 Vol. 27 No. 2
REFINING CRUDE PALM OIL: CURRENT STATUS AND LATEST DEVELOPMENT TO ENSURE HIGH FOOD OIL QUALITY AND SAFETY

      3-MCPDE in refined palm oil (ppm)
                                                                     Optimized Physical Refining
                                                       3.01

                                                               25%                   2.64
                                                                          2.54
                                                40%

                                                                  2.29
                                          C/R
                                                1.86

                           Washing with ¢ No ¢ Caustic ¢ Water ¢ Acid

                                                              Figure 10. Effect of CPO washing on 3-MCPDE formation

2. CPO Washing: Effect on 3-MCPDE Formation                                                     Effect of CPO Washing on 3-MCPDE Formation in Good &
                                                                                                Premium Quality CPO
Physical refining results for different washings are
given in Fig. 10 where water washings are given in                                              Processing conditions. Washing with 5% water without
more detail. Chemical refining still provides the lowest                                        acid or caustic; bleaching with 10 kg natural bleaching
level of MCPDE. Effectiveness of CPO washing depends                                            earth/tonne oil; dual T stripping/deodorization at
on crude oil quality & when it is applied. Most effect                                          240°C/220°C (120 min), 8 and 12 kg/T steam, 3 mbar.
is from ‘caustic washing’, but this is less than chemical                                       The results are given in Table 1.
refining. Oil losses of 0.05 – 0.1% occur if 5% wash water
                                                                                                • Washing has a determining impact on 3-MCPDE
is used and 1-2% oil/FM in wash water. Combined
                                                                                                  mitigation
acid degumming/washing further reduce P and
other elements.                                                                                 • Dual temperature deodorization gives low GE at
                                                                                                  0.24- 0.42 ppm

                                                Table 1. 3-MCPDE formation mitigation in washing good and premium quality CPO

 Feedstock                                                    Good quality CPO               Good quality                CPO Premium quality
                                                                 not washed                  CPO washed                        Not washed
 FFA% (16:0)                                                          3.7                          3.5                              1.3
 DOBI                                                                 2.6                           /                               3.4
 Refining                                                      Physical refining            Physical refining      Physical refining Chemical refining
 FFA% (16:0)                                                         0.04                         0.04                   0.03             0.02
 Colour Lovibond (51/4)                                           2.0R/51Y                     2.2R/57Y               1.2R/28Y          0.7R/16Y
 3-MCPDE (ppm)                                                       1.21                         0.37                   0.46             0.08
 2-MCPDE (ppm)                                                       0.66                         0.21                   0.25             0.05
 GE (ppm)                                                            0.40                         0.42                   0.27             0.24

                                                                  Malaysian Oil Science and Technology 2018 Vol. 27 No. 2                           75
REFINING CRUDE PALM OIL: CURRENT STATUS AND LATEST DEVELOPMENT TO ENSURE HIGH FOOD OIL QUALITY AND SAFETY

Nano-Washing
Nano-washing technology is shown in Fig. 11; this is efficient, flexible and provides low effluent.

                                       Figure 11. Nano washing technology

3. Bleaching: Effect of Amount and Type of BE
Experiments conducted on the use of bleaching earths
have provided results as shown in Fig. 12.
Bleaching conditions: 105°C, 50 mbar, 30 min. Büchner
filtration over Whatman No1
Deodorization conditions: Dual T stripping/
deodorization, 240°C /220°C (120 min). Total sparge
steam : 1.6 % - pressure: 2 mbar
Lowest levels of 3-MCPDE formation can be achieved
by (a) use of natural BE iso acid activated BE is                                No HCl – treated BE used
recommended, (b) higher BE dosing (more pronounced
effect with natural BE).                                                             Natural BE             Acid BE
                                                                 pH                     7.8                    3.7
                                                                 Cl- (mg/L)             7.1                   28.4
Formation of 3-MCPDE and GE During Bleaching
                                                                          Figure 12. Effect of bleaching earths
Experiments carried out on high dosage of activated                               on MCPDE formation
bleaching earth showed MCPDE and GE can be formed
with higher dosages of bleaching earth and further
formation of MCPDE in deodorization (Table 2). There
is no formation of GE. During deodorization there
is further formation of 3-MCPDE. Isomerisation of
3-MCPDE to 2-MCPDE occurred.

76                               Malaysian Oil Science and Technology 2018 Vol. 27 No. 2
REFINING CRUDE PALM OIL: CURRENT STATUS AND LATEST DEVELOPMENT TO ENSURE HIGH FOOD OIL QUALITY AND SAFETY

                    Table 2. Formation of MCPDE and GE during bleaching and deodorization

  BE type                               Natural BE                      Acid activated BE
  BE dosage (kg/T)            10           15           20          10          15            20
  Bleaching T (°C)           105      105        85     105        105         105           105
  FFA % (16:0)              0.05     0.06       0.05   0.05       0.05         0.05         0.05
  Color Lovibond 51/4     6.1R/70Y 5.0R/70Y 6.4R/70Y 5.2R/70Y 5.5R/70Y      4.4R/70Y      4.0R/70Y
                                                      Bleached palm oil
  3-MCPDE (ppm)                                        0.34                                 1.20
  2-MCPDE (ppm)
REFINING CRUDE PALM OIL: CURRENT STATUS AND LATEST DEVELOPMENT TO ENSURE HIGH FOOD OIL QUALITY AND SAFETY

                                              260°C                             3 mbar                                     60 min, 1% SS
Glycidyl esters (ppm)

                                                                                1% SS                                              3
                                                                                                                                         The lower
                                                                                                                                         the P, the
                                                                                                                                          higher
                                                                                                                                   2 mbar
                                                                                                                                          the NO
                                                                                                                                           losses
                                                          240°C                                                                            (MAG,
                                                                          230°C                                                             DAG,
                                                                             220°C                                                 1
                                                                                                                                            Toco)
                           0      1       2           3           4         5
                                                Time (hr)

                        Figure 14. Effect of temperature on GE formation                  Figure 15. Balance of stripping and formation of GE

   Can GE be Stripped During Deodorisation?                                              Effect of Packed Column on Stripping GE
   GE can be stripped from the oil, but….                                                The designed column (Fig. 16) provides short resident
                                                                                         times at high(er) temperatures and gives (a) almost no
   • Under normal deodorizing conditions - formation
                                                                                         formation of GE, even at T > 240°C and (b) very efficient
     of GE > stripping (Fig. 15)
                                                                                         FFA stipping but only limited heat bleaching.
   • Stripping can only be significant at higher
                                                                                         Essentially, dual temperature high-temp fast stripping/
     temperature and lower pressure
                                                                                         low-temp mild deodorization achieved.
   • Best strategy therefore to limit formation (temp. <
     240°C)
   • Best compromise: FFA strip at high temperature,
                                                                                         Final Treatment of RBPO
     deodorise at low temperature                                                        A dual temperature – dual pressure system allows
                                                                                         optional low pressure prestripping and post-stripping
                                                                                         (Fig. 17).

                                                                                                         10 min, 0.5% SS

                                                                        ≠ GE                                                 ≠ FFA
                                                                      0.1 ppm                                                0.08%

                                       Figure 16. Effect of packed column: fast GE stripping and mild deodorization

    78                                                     Malaysian Oil Science and Technology 2018 Vol. 27 No. 2
REFINING CRUDE PALM OIL: CURRENT STATUS AND LATEST DEVELOPMENT TO ENSURE HIGH FOOD OIL QUALITY AND SAFETY

                                                            Intermediate
                                                               cooling

                                                                                       +
                                                                         Qualistock dual temp deodorising

                  Figure 17. Dual temperature-dual pressure GE stripping and deodorisation

5. Optimised Physical Refining: CPO Washing, Bleaching Optimized physical refining: 15 min/245°C followed by
with NBE and Dual Temp Deodorisation                   45 min/230°C

Experiments conducted according to the given                  3-MCPDE: standard PR with ABE > standard PR with
conditions provide data presented in Table 3.                 NBE = optimized PR > chemical refining

Standard physical refining : 60 min/260°C/3mbar.              GE: standard PR with ABE = standard PR with NBE >
Chemical refining: 120 min/225°C/3 mbar                       optimized PR = Chemical refining

                          Table 3. Comparison of refining methods and optimisations

                          Crude      Standard PHYSICAL Standard PHYSICAL CHEMICAL     Optimized
 Parameter                Palm            refining          refining      refining PHYSICAL refining
                           Oil           Activated BE              Natural BE          Natural BE   Natural BE
                                              1%                       1%                  1%          1%
 FFA (% C16:0)            5.83               0.02                     0.017               0.013       0.02
 Color (Lovibond 5 ¼ “)   N.A.            1.8R/23Y                  2.0R/24Y            2.3R/19Y    2.5R/32Y
 Total chlorine (ppm)      5.0               N.A.                     N.A.                N.A.        N.A.
 3-MCPDE (ppm)              -              4.21 →                   1.25 →              0.48 →        1.18
 Glycidyl esters (ppm)                     3.12 →                   2.94 →              0.48 →        0.55

                                  Malaysian Oil Science and Technology 2018 Vol. 27 No. 2                        79
REFINING CRUDE PALM OIL: CURRENT STATUS AND LATEST DEVELOPMENT TO ENSURE HIGH FOOD OIL QUALITY AND SAFETY

6. Post Bleaching: A Solution to GE Reduction                  and reliable at low pressures. Final treatment of RBPO
                                                               is becoming a key standard feature for new refineries.
Post-bleaching : Non HCl Activated BE, 105°C, 50 mbar.
No post-deodorisation. Results are given in Fig. 18.
0.5% ABE gives very fast and almost complete GE                Post-Stripping of GE from RB palm oil
degradation: GE < 0.1 ppm within 10 min
                                                               Top pressure packed column at 1.5 mbar using Dry
0.2% ABE gives slower but still good GE degradation:           condensing Sublimax 2G
GE < 0.2 ppm within 30 min
                                                               The results of GE stripping at different temperatures
                                                               are charted in Fig. 20
7. Mild Post Refining of RBPO                                  GE Post-stripping will not only reduce GE, but may also
                                                               create additional losses as other components will
Post-bleaching conditions: 0.5% Activated BE, 110°C,
                                                               also be stripped (Tocotrienols, MAG, …)
30 min. Post-deodorization: 0.5% stripping steam, 3
mbar, 60 min.                                                                                   RBD PO
GE can be eliminated by post-refining, but mild                                           4.3

conditions are to be used as GE can be formed (Fig. 18).                                                                 2.8
                                                               3-MCPDE + GE (ppm)
                                                                                                                               Redeodorized
                                                                                                                               at 260°C
GE may again be formed during post-deodorization
so that low deodorization temperature is required.                                                                       0.3
                                                                                                                               Redeodorized
MCPDE are more difficult to remove during                                                                0.1
                                                                                                                               at 230°C
                                                                                                         Post-bleached
post-refining.
Equipment for the final processing of RBPO is illustrated                                                Sample number

in Fig. 19 operating a 1 mbar. This is considered safe                              Figure 18. Removal of GE by post-refining

                                  Figure 19. Equipment for RBPO final treatment

80                                Malaysian Oil Science and Technology 2018 Vol. 27 No. 2
REFINING CRUDE PALM OIL: CURRENT STATUS AND LATEST DEVELOPMENT TO ENSURE HIGH FOOD OIL QUALITY AND SAFETY

                                                                                 Chemical refining and good quality CPO can provide
                                                                                 low levels of 3-MCPDE and GE (< 0.5 ppm). There is
Glycidol (ppm)

                                                            200°C
                                                                                 a need to account for the enrichment of these trace
                                             230°C            210°C              contaminants in the oleins on fractionation.
                         260°C

                                 Sparge steam (kg/ton)                           CPO Quality: Key Determining Factor in Mitigation of
                                                                                 3-MCPDE & GE
                         Figure 20. Removal of GE optimized
                                                                                 Industry has to adopt new best practices to ensure
                                                                                 highest CPO quality for food safety. There is a clear
          Palm Oil Physical Refining: Steps to Mitigate 3-MCPDE                  need for segregation of good & excellent quality for
          & GE                                                                   food versus the rest for non-food uses (Fig. 21). The
          A summary is given diagrammatically and tabulated                      palm oil industry can provide excellent quality food oil
          below.                                                                 (70%) with FFA < 3.5% and DOBI > 2.5 which is sufficient
                                                                                 for the PO used in foods, so where is the problem?

                                                                             Dual bleaching with                        Dual temp Stripping-
                   CPO                   wet pretreatment
                                                                                  NBE/ABE                                 deodorization

                    Q                   Mitigate 3-MCPDE                      Mitigate 3-MCPDE                               Mitigate GE
                 RBDPO:                        PORAM spec		Industry
                 FFA (%palmitic acid):         0.1% max		0.03-0.05% max
                 M&I:                          0.1% max		0.01-0.05% max
                 Colour (5.25” Lovibond cell): 3 red max		1.5-2.5 red max
                 M.Pt (AOCS Cc 3-25):          33-39°C 		(ns)
                 IV (Wijs):                    50-55		(50.5-52.5)
                 PV:                           (ns)		nil
                 Taste:                        (ns)		bland
                 P:                            (ns)		1-3 ppm max
                 3-MCPDE			2.5 ppm max*
                 GE			1 ppm max*

                                                                         personal care

                                              oleochemicals                                         food

                                                                      Objective parameters
                                                                          DOBI > 2.5?
                                                                           FFA < 3.5?
                                          biodiesel                    Chloride < 2 ppm ?                      infant food

                                                                           Palm Oil
                                               Figure 21. Palm oil quality for food and non-food uses

                 Feedstock                    Good quality CPO Good quality                   Poor quality CPO             Premium quality
                                                not washed       CPO washed                      Not washed               CPO, Not washed
                 FFA % (16:0)                                3.4                                      6.7                         1.3
                 DOBI                                        2.6                                      1.7                         3.4
                 Refining                         Physical         Physical                  Physical Physical           Physical Physical
                                                  refining         refining                  refining     refining       refining     refining
                 FFA %                              0.04             0.04                      0.06         0.02            0.03        0.02
                 Colour lovibond (51/4)          2.0R/51Y         2.2R/57Y                   6.0R/70Y 2.4R/16Y           1.2R/28Y 0.7R/16Y
                 3-MCPDE ppm                        1.21             0.34                      2.78         1.76            0.46        0.08
                 2-MCPDE ppm                        0.66             0.21                      1.31         0.05            0.25        0.05
                 GE ppm                             0.40             0.42                      0.59         0.24            0.27        0.24

                                            Figure 22. CPO quality: refining for food quality and safety

                                                     Malaysian Oil Science and Technology 2018 Vol. 27 No. 2                                   81
REFINING CRUDE PALM OIL: CURRENT STATUS AND LATEST DEVELOPMENT TO ENSURE HIGH FOOD OIL QUALITY AND SAFETY

Quality and Origin of CPO                                           (3) Technology development, finding the right
                                                                        balance between efficiency, quality & sustainability
For a long time it is known that quality does matter
as regards to the CPO and the levels of trace process               Various mitigation solutions (preventive and
contaminants. The tabulated results below confirms                  curative) have been developed, some already
this point again. Good quality CPO is the key for low               applied, others still under investigation, taking
3-MCPDE formation. GE can be managed during                         into account COST factor (CAPEX & OPEX), as the
refining by prevention or correction.                               final refined food oil must remain affordable.

                                                                    Abbreviations. ABE = activated BE; BE = bleaching earth; CSR =
CPO Quality: New Commercial Standard For Food Oil                   corporate social responsibility; CSPO = Certified Sustainable Palm
                                                                    Oil; CSV = creating shared value; DAG = DG or diacylglycerol; DHA
                                                                    = docosohexaenoic acid; EFSA = European Food Safety Authority;
In view of the new demands for edible oils quality                  ENGO = environmental NGO; EPA = eicosopentaenoic acid; EU
with respect to trace process contaminants, standards               = European Union; FA = fatty acid; FEDIOL = Federation of the
for palm oil quality may need to be reviewed. Figs.                 European Vegetable Oil and Proteinmeal Industry; FELDA = Federal
                                                                    Land Development Authority of Malaysia; FFA = free fatty acid;
22 & 23 illustrate the main parameters that may be                  FFB = fresh fruit bunches; Fob = free on board (responsibility for
useful to set guidelines for CPO quality for food.                  goods until leaving a specified point); GE = glycidyl ester; GM =
                                                                    genetically modified; GMO = genetically modified organism; Ha =
High quality CPO for food can be selected from the                  hectare; IARC = International Agency for Research on Cancer; LOD
palm oil mill. As good practices, low quality oils (e.g.            = limit of detection; MAG = monoacylglycerol or monoglyceride;
                                                                    MCPD = monochloropropandiol; MCPDE = MCPD esters; Mln, mln =
sludge, condensate and FFB oils) in milling must not be             million; MPOA = Malaysian Palm Oil Association; MPOB =Malaysian
recycled to the food quality CPO. Reserve low quality               Palm Oil Board; MPOC = Malaysian Palm Oil Council; MUFA =
                                                                    monounsaturated fatty acid; NBE = natural bleaching earth; NGO =
CPO for oleochemicals and other non-food uses or                    non-government organization; NO = non- odoriferous; OFIC = Oils
process bad quality CPO into biodiesel (Fig. 21).                   and Fats International Congress organized regularly every two years
                                                                    by MOSTA; P = phosphorus or pressure; PAHs = polycyclic aromatic
                                                                    hydrocarbons; PCBs = polychlorinated biphenyls; PFAD = palm fatty
                                                                    distillate; PO = palm oil; POPs = persistent organic pollutants; ppb =
Conclusion                                                          parts per billion; ppm = parts per million; ppt = parts per trillion; PR =
                                                                    physical refining; PUFA = polyunsaturated fatty acid; R = red; RBDPO
There is no “one size fit all” in 3-MCPDE & GE mitigation           = refined, bleached and deodorized PO; RSO = rapeseed oil; RSPO =
                                                                    Round Table on Sustainable Palm Oil; SAFA = saturated fatty acid; SBO
solutions. Best solution depends on:                                = soybean oil; T = tonne, also temperature; TFA = trans fatty acid; Y =
(1) Plant configuration: chemical or physical, new or               yellow; Yr = year
    existing plant
(2) Required specs: special vs commodity; individual
    or formulated fat

                                                          Max
                                                          5%

                                     FFA
                                                          Max
                                                          3.5%

                    M&I                                   DOBI
                  (moisture &    CPO Quality         (Deterioration of
                   Impurities)                      Bleachability Index)

                 Max 0.25%                                Min
                                                          2.3%
                                                                                                        Max 5%
                                   Chloride
                                  (after washing)
                                                          Min
                                                          2.5%
                                 Max 2 ppm

                                  Figure 23. Guidelines for food-quality palm oil

82                                Malaysian Oil Science and Technology 2018 Vol. 27 No. 2
Developing Innovative
                                 Technologies for Palm Oil
                                 Milling: Challenging -
                                 Enriching - Profitable Journeys
                                  KH Lee
                                  IHMS & MOSTA
                                  [Presented at the Palm Oil Milling Workshop, 14th Aug 2018, Johor Bahru, Malaysia]

Introduction
Oil palm plantations have been around for 101 years
and extraction of fruit oil has been following closely
the increasing fruit harvest for the last century. The oil
palm fruit is unique in having heavy bunches which
need to be sterilized to stop enzymatic action, cooked
to release the fruits from the bunches, have the fruits
separated and screw-pressed for the mesocarp oil and
kernels and the pressed oil separated, pumped dried
and stored. While conceptually simple, the engineering
and technologies have to be designed and adapted
for this unique oil and the successful development Figure 1. Tan Sri Ong of MOSTA and Calvin Ho of Ladang
                                                           TaiTak agreed to collaborate to hold a milling workshop
to commercial plants spanned over half a century. for the Malaysian palm oil industry
While many would have thought that milling has not
made much of advances for decades, it is surprising from indigenous technologies to be adapted uniquely
that many incremental improvements have been for the oil palm crop. Further downstream processing
happening among the mills of the major corporate technologies provide a versatile range of fats and
oil plantation companies. The present revelation oils ranging from nutritious liquid oils, semi-solid fats
comes from the MOSTA workshop on milling held and solid fats demanded by the needs of the variety
in August 2018 in collaboration with Ladang TaiTak of foods and cuisines around the world. Processing
(Fig. 1), which is a follow-up from the MOSTA workshop for specialty fats, infant formulas, functional foods,
on Agronomics held a year earlier in Ipoh.                 fat-soluble vitamins and medicinal supplements have
The farm-to-fork quality of vegoils from the oil palm been made available.
that are supplied to world consumers is remarkable
in that the technologies in the multiple steps of the         The Start of the Innovation Journey for the Palm Oil Mill
supply chain has been developed in the third world
                                                              The earlier developments by MARDI and PORIM have
countries of SE Asia. Best practices begin with the
                                                              provided the basic framework for commercial palm oil
plantations producing 4 to 6 tonnes of palm fruit oil per
                                                              mills with engineering technologies for sterilization of
hectare sustainably with MSPO and RSPO standards;
                                                              fruit bunches, separation of fruits from empty bunches,
such yields far exceed all the other oil crops. The
                                                              pressing out of mesocarp oil, recovery of kernels and
extractions of palm oil and kernel oils have evolved
                                                              separation of oil from effluent water. For decades the

                                  Malaysian Oil Science and Technology 2018 Vol. 27 No. 2                              83
DEVELOPING INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGIES FOR PALM OIL MILLING: CHALLENGING - ENRICHING - PROFITABLE JOURNEYS

Figure 2. Pioneering engineers and supporting staff at Riverside Palm Oil Mill (1971)

basic milling technology remained without advances                    or she probably just stands aside and comments
although there were attempts to introduce more                        from afar.
automation. In 1971 young engineers shown in Fig. 2
and elsewhere embarked on a journey of innovation               Mill Engineers Stand
to create more efficient milling using technologies as
they become available.                                          • Mills must not piggy back claim on any pride in
                                                                  any achieved higher palm product extractions on
The vision to develop innovative technologies is                  FFB arising from better planting material or field
important and led by many and this paper has                      practices.
highlighted the wide expertise of the Executive
Director of IHMS Sdn Bhd.                                       • They can only be proud in their use of GOOD Milling
                                                                  Practices & Technology in achieving lowest possible
                                                                  milling loss, irrespective of any outcome values in
Innovative Developing Technologies
                                                                  extractions on FFB. After all, milling does not add in
It is recognized that many of these are already                   any extra quantity of palm products and can only
around and available in the market place; but what is             optimize recoveries (lower Milling Loss).
still lacking:
                                                                • In any instances, whenever perceptions of poor
• Successful uses in milling are few possibly due to              milling arise, do bring in competent, independent
  lack of the following:                                          and professional Milling Auditors who can provide
                                                                  not only the Whys and the Whats but also the Hows.
     i. Inability to synergize with the current milling
                                                                  Avoid any ‘YES Sirs’ auditors boosting their own egos
        operation and know-how
                                                                  and/or with business wise focus supporting pre-biased
     ii. No clarity to define performance expectations to         top management perceptions.
         mill owners except financial gain promises and
         guarantee of $$$ returns
                                                                Successful Technology Selection and Use
     iii. In-Correct and In-Efficient ideas may
          unexpectedly lead to incorrect and inefficient        • Technology has to be verifiable based on science &
          uses                                                    engineering

     iv. Most mill managers and engineers have                  • Developing New Technology – In Stages • proof of
         their hands full from ever administrative and            concept g pilot trials g comparative runs g use
         environmental regulations, demands and                 • Use of Proven Developing Technology: • Non-sense
         compliances added on to their high workload              to conduct further re-evaluation tests WITHOUT
         for optimize milling cost, higher food quality           sizeable comparative tests and proper certified
         demands and lower milling palm product loss,             & qualified team participation; • Need to identify
         They are understandingly unable to participate           shortfalls for corrections as no two Mills are built to
         and contribute productively; at best or worse he         the same design flow system and capacity.

84                                 Malaysian Oil Science and Technology 2018 Vol. 27 No. 2
DEVELOPING INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGIES FOR PALM OIL MILLING: CHALLENGING - ENRICHING - PROFITABLE JOURNEYS

Resource Support                                               Brief on Tai Tak Palm Oil Mill
• Hands-on Participation inputs WILL assure any                • It is a very OLD Mill, 50 Loving Milling Years; built in
  Technology Input success                                       Y1968
• Patience & Confidence needed from Mill Owners -              • Free flow of finger food and drinks at reception
  clear understanding of any needed extended times to
                                                               • Productive & smart blending of YOUNGIES & OLDIES
  SUCCEED
                                                               • Mill IMAP Advisors (5 persons) totaling 240 MILLING
• Team players (Providers – Participators – Users)
                                                                 YEARS milling experience
  having win-win-win interests (monetary, right of
  use, recognition, satisfaction), WILL bring out effective    • WILLING to share Milling Practices & Technology
  values to enhance and make good any shortcoming in
                                                               • Proud but not prideful or boastful
  the use of technology.

                                                               Tai Tak Palm Oil Mill Open Day on 14th August 2018 further
Technology Development Project Management
                                                               reinforced both Tai Tak and IHMS’s intention and commitment
Manage and Motivate                                            to place their developed and developing Innovative Technology
                                                               in the PUBLIC DOMAIN as Open Source.
• Manage the team and activities in communicating,
  supporting, and helping with decisions.                      The Visit focused on the following:

• Inexperienced members of the team prefer clear               1. Mechanized Sterilization Indexer System – Y2003
  instructions, but these on the contrary can de-              2. Oil Room Discharge / Mill Waste Separation – Y2018
  motivate experienced and creative people                     3. Auto Sterilization / Safe Use – Y2003
• Manage these people by the results they get                  4. Saturated Steam for Sterilizing – Y2018
                                                               5. Megasonic (Ultrasound) – Oil Capture – Y2010
• Share plaudits with your team, but never, never
  accept plaudits yourself                                     6. Non-Oil Screen Waste Removal (Puree) – Y2015
                                                               7. Sterilized Detached Fruits Storage (SDF) – Y2010
• Never ‘dump’ blames on anyone in your team. As
  project manager any problem is always ultimately             8. Pre- Recovery of Pressed Oil (PRS) – Y2013
  down to you anyway.                                          9. Quality & Loss Control Lab (NIR) – Y2011
                                                               10. Boiler Flue Gas Pre-Scrubber (BGSS) – Y2017 / ESP
Check, Measure, Monitor, Review Project Progress                   Scrubber Use by Y2019
                                                               11. Condensing Turbine for Low Use of Power Steam –
• Check the progress of activities against the plan.
                                                                   Y2014
• Review performance regularly and at the stipulated           12. H.P. to L.P. Steam – Process Steam – Y2014 - Y2018
  review points, and confirm the validity and relevance
                                                               13. 13 Boiler (Biomass) Fuel Feed System – Y2016
  of the remainder of the plan.
                                                               14. Separate Oil Traps – Oil Station/Milling Waste –
• Adjust the plan if necessary, in light of performance,           Y2018
  changing circumstances, and new information,                 15. Biogas Extraction (CUBRA). For Heat Energy Plant –
  but remain on track and within the original terms                Y2017
  of reference.
                                                               16. Low Collectable Oil ETP/Enzyme Assisted – Y2013
• Identify, agree and delegate appropriate new                 17. Launching IMAP Center (240 Milling Years’
  actions.                                                         Experience) – (Advisors in place Since Y2003)
                                                               18. INTER-ACT Center (Milling Participators)

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DEVELOPING INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGIES FOR PALM OIL MILLING: CHALLENGING - ENRICHING - PROFITABLE JOURNEYS

Figure 3. Workshop sharing interactions: challenges in the use of innovative developing technologies

Sterilization and Cooking of Fruits                              stage provide an efficient way to remove chloride
                                                                 impurity which will be the cause of trace processed
Palm fruit bunches harvested from plantations arrive             contaminants (MCPDE). While high temperatures
at the oil extraction mill and they need to be sterilized        are useful, saturated steam temperature of
DEVELOPING INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGIES FOR PALM OIL MILLING: CHALLENGING - ENRICHING - PROFITABLE JOURNEYS

• A DEFINITE VALUABLE SYSTEM TOOL minimizing
  Sterilizer Condensate Oil Loss

The installation of the Sterilizer Indexer System was fully
participated by the owner (Fig. 4). As this system is the
first of its kind in the world, the technology team (needed
be “fearless and righteous”) was blessed. The steadfast
step by step approach to successful use re-established
confidence from “God help you” doubters.

                                                                Figure 6. Manual loading of fruits into old B4 sterilizer
                                                                cages

                                                                The old B4 sterilizer cages involved a lot of manual
                                                                labour in charging and moving the cages with much
                                                                leakages and fruit losses causing greasiness and litter
                                                                (Figs. 5 and 6).

                                                                Tai Tak Palm Oil Mill: Megasonic Journey
                                                        Ultrasonics have been used in science and industry
Figure 4. Installation of the semi-automatic Sterilizer
                                                        for heating, cleaning, cellular disruption, cavitation
Indexer System                                          catalysis and recently investigated by CSIRO for milk
                                                        fat emulsification or agglomerating milk fat particles.
                                                        It was a challenge to the palm oil industry which faces
                                                        separation problems of oil micro-emulsions during
                                                        milling and this technology was made known to
                                                        MPOB in 2010 (Fig. 7). Tai Tak Palm Oil Mill took up the
                                                        development of this Technology Intense discussions
                                                        were carried out at Tai Tak Mill (Fig. 8) in Sept 2010 and
                                                        by Oct decision based on the proof of concept was
                                                        A GO (Fig. 9), followed by planning and intense work
                                                        (Figs. 10 & 11).

Figure 5. Milling in the old system of sterilizer cages
with fruits shunting continue without Mill Shutdown

Figure 7. PAC meeting of MPOB in April 2010 (Dr YM Choo of MPOB, front row, 8th from right; Tan Sri SH Ong, front row,
7th from right; CSIRO’s Mary Ann Augustin, 3rd row, 3rd from left; Ir KH Lee of IHMS, last row, 2nd from left; Dr PT Gee, 3rd
row, 3rd from right)

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DEVELOPING INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGIES FOR PALM OIL MILLING: CHALLENGING - ENRICHING - PROFITABLE JOURNEYS

Figure 8. Intense discussions on engineering aspects of the project

Figure 9. Decision to go ahead at the mill for proof of concept in Oct 2010

Figure 10. Planning and aspects of work in progress

Figure 11. By 18th Sept 2012 it was demo day and celebration

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DEVELOPING INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGIES FOR PALM OIL MILLING: CHALLENGING - ENRICHING - PROFITABLE JOURNEYS

Figure 12. AOCS Corporate Achievement Award in 2013

Achievements with Megasonic                                       samples, analyses and measurements since Nov 2013
                                                                  to confidently claim:
Megasonic reduces oil loss consistently to 2.5 kg/T FFB
and there is zero run-away oil loss. Rapid oil separation         i. The low oil loss in sludge centrifuge discharges
provides better oil quality. POME discharge is lower.                achieved at 2.3-2.99 kg/T FFB
The most rewarding moment comes from the AOCS                     ii. The extra collectable oil from sludge centrifuge
Corporate Achievement Award in April 2013 (Fig. 12).                  returns another 2.00-3.00 kg/T FFB

                                                                  Tai Tak mill is never ‘rich’ on OERs and over the years,
Use of Megasonic in Palm Oil Mills
                                                                  process yearly some 100,000 T FFB - own FFB of old-
It is not one size that fits all. It is advisable to audit your   age palms and substantial 100,000 T FFB from Traders
own mills and establish the need for this Megasonic               to maintain processing continuity and acceptable
tool.                                                             milling costs for her 45 TPH FFB plant.

                                                                  In comparison to previous data with no Megasonic
Key Issues Best Answered by the Mill:                             intervention in months of Nov 2012 – Oct 2013 to
• Are there frequent oil clarifier upsets requiring               current months of Nov 2013 – Oct 2014 with Megasonic
  discharges or complete empty-outs?                              intervention, the mill had an increase of 0.56% oil
                                                                  extraction rate of FFB and on 211,449 T FFB processed,
• Are there frequent high collectable oils in the mill’s          translating to some higher earnings gain of RM2.9
  sludge pits or de-oiling tank?                                  million. And to cream the top, Kai Tak mill had the
• Is there high oil in the ETP acidification ponds?               highest OER achievement in Y2014 in comparison to
                                                                  previous 30 years since Y1984.
• Is there poor ripeness of FFB?
                                                                  Megasonic intervention assists in:
Achievements of Tai Tak Mill                                      i. Dislodging oil droplets trapped in the suspended
                                                                     and dissolved non-oil solids.
At Tai Tak mill we had complete mass balance and
analytical data for 277 run days covering 15,000                  ii. Agglomerating emulsified and tiny oil droplets
                                                                      from sludge centrifuge returns.

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DEVELOPING INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGIES FOR PALM OIL MILLING: CHALLENGING - ENRICHING - PROFITABLE JOURNEYS

iii. Agglomerating emulsified oil from the pressed
     crude oil; all these coalesced into bigger droplets
     which are then collectable in the oil clarifier tank.

Food for Thought
• Low oil at the centrifuge discharge is not good
  enough
• Recoverable centrifuge oil still has to be totally
  converted into collectable oil.

Quality & Loss Laboratory: Introduction of Near
Infrared (NIR) Spectrometer
Classical laboratory although with standard procedures
takes too long for plant operations correction. The NIR
spectrometer can also now analyse for many other
critical chemical parameters. This was installed and
tested during the period of July – Nov 2011 (Fig. 13).

                                                              Figure 14. Replacing the old turbines (1968-1998) with
                                                              new ones (1999-2012)

                                                               More Power - Less Steam Consumption with Lower
                                                               Biomass Boiler Fuel Use
                                                               The multistage condensing steam turbine generates
                                                               power at 90KWe/T FFB. Boiler provides process steam
                                                               consumption of 350kg/T FFB and lower.

                                                               • Operational skills were acquired in early 2013 to run
                                                                 independent steam for power and process.
Figure 13. NIR spectrometer monitors quality and
oil loss                                                       • Installed process steam supply systems were for 350
                                                                 kg/T FFB
Condensing Turbine                                             • Improved sterilizing steam supply and use without
The next continuing project is a smart partnership               sacrificing cooking efficiency & throughput
to power with renewable energy from conversion of              • Improved boiler super heater design and
biomass waste to reduce GHG emissions and power                  installation, had continuous monitoring of superheat
other down-stream activities. This looks at updating             temperature and improve proper start-up and shut-
the steam turbine which was developed in the early               down procedures
years (1880s) whereby steam was expanded in piston
engines (Fig. 14). The vertical motion was then                • Condensing (3 stage) turbine installed in Sept 2013
converted to rotary motion to generate power. In 1884          • The steam boiler and steam turbine stations run well
Charles Parsons developed the first practical, modern            since Mar 2014
high-speed steam turbine. The single stage back-
pressure turbines for integrated supply of steam for
power and process in Tai Tak mill (1999-2012).

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