Palm Oil, Palm Kernel Oil Process - Fractions, Derivatives and Product Uses

One of our previous infographics looked at an overview of the complexity in the palm oil / palm kernel oil supply chain. RSPO (Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil) certified oil still remains a market niche (16% of total palm oil production now RSPO certified); keeping physical oil separated from non certified oil can be very difficult and impossible depending on where you are based and the types of process and products used. If the world just used crude palm oil, tracing physical sustainable palm oil would be simpler.

We now delve a little deeper into the supply chain, identifying the various processes along the supply chain. Included are examples of product applications with a key that describes the various products and processes e.g Fractionation, Hydrogenation, distillation, IE Palm Stearin, RBD Palm Kernel Stearin, Emulsifier etc.

The product examples we provide do not cover all individual products that palm or palm kernel oil are used in. All main refinery processes are covered; however further blending and manufacturing processes do take place passed what is shown in this graphic.

Processes
- Palm Oil Mill Process
- Crushing
- Refining RBD
- Fractionation
- Interesterification
- Hydrogenation
- Glycerolysis
- Distillation

Products
- RBD Palm Oil
- RBD Palm Olein
- RBD Palm Stearin
- Double Olein (or Super Olein)
- Palm Mid Fraction
- Double Stearin
- Mid Stearin
- Palm Kernel Expeller
- RBD Palm Kernel Oil
- RBD Palm Kernel Olein
- RBD Palm Kernel Stearin
- Palm Fatty Acid Distillate (PFAD)
- Palm Kernel Fatty Acid Distillates (PKFAD)
- Oleochemicals
- Hydrogenated Palm Kernel Oil (HPKO)
- Emulsifier
- Hydrogenated Palm Olein
- Hydrogenated Double Olein
- Hydrogenated Palm Oil
- Hydrogenated Palm Kernel Olein
- IE Palm
- IE Palm Olein
- IE Palm Stearin

1. Oil Palm: Fractions & Derivatives
Palm Oil process
www.greenpalm.org
Distillation
Refining
InteresterificationIE Palm
Hydrogenation
Glycerolysis
Hydrogenated
Palm Oil
Oil Palm Fruit Oil Palm Mill Palm Kernel
Emulsifier
Emulsifier
RBD Palm Oil
Oleochemicals
Palm Fatty
Acid Distillates
Fractionation
80% 20%
50% 50% 40%
60%
RBD Palm Stearin
Fractionation
RBD Palm Olein
Interesterification Interesterification
IE Palm Olein IE Palm Stearin
Mid Stearin
Double Stearin
Fractionation
Palm
Mid
Fraction
Hydrogenated Double Olein
Glycerolysis
Hydrogenation
Double Olein
Hydrogenation
Glycerolysis
Hydrogenated
Palm Olein
Emulsifier
Crude Palm Oil
Process ProductKey:

2. Oil Palm: Fractions & Derivatives
Palm Kernel Oil process
Oil Palm Fruit
Palm Kernel
Oil Palm Mill Crude Palm Oil
Crushing
Palm Kernel
Expeller
Crude Palm
Kernel Oil
Palm Kernel Fatty
Acid Distillates
Oleochemicals
Distillation
Refining
RBD Palm
Kernel Oil
Hydrogenation
Hydrogenated
Palm Kernel Oil
40%
60%
Refining
RBD Palm
Kernel Stearin
Hydrogenation
Hydrogenated
Palm Kernel Olein
RBD Palm
Kernel Olein
Fractionation
www.greenpalm.org
Process ProductKey:

3. Mill Process
Fresh Fruit Bunches (FFBs) are sterilized and stripped. The fruit is
pressed to separate the oil from the ‘cake’ (a mixture of kernel
and fi bre). The oil is then purifi ed and clarifi ed.
Crushing
The kernel is cracked to remove the palm kernel shell
(Palm Kernel Expeller or PKE) and the kernel is crushed
and pressed to produce Palm Kernel Oil or PKO.
Refi ning (RBD: Refi nined,
Bleached & Deodorised)
Oil is refi ned to remove colour, odour and fl avour.
Fractionation
Liquid Palm Olein and solid Palm Stearin are separated. This is achieved by
using crystallisation techniques followed by a membrane fi lter process.
Interesterifi cation (IE)
Oils are reformulated to produce different properties. Carbon chains
are separated from the glycerine anchor and reattached in a different
formation to create oils with improved properties for specifi c uses in
the food industry.
Hydrogenation
A means of increasing the melting point of oils using Hydrogen gas.
Glycerolysis
The process of creating emulsifi ers by adding glycerine.
Emulsifi ers facilitate the mixture of oil and water.
Distillation
A method of separating mixtures based on differences in
volatility of components in a liquid mixture.
Processes
g HyHyydrdroggeen gass.
aadddddining glycycerine.
oiland wwater.
tures baseddonon differences in
aalquq mixture
StearinOlein

4. RBD Palm Oil
Melting point: 35°C
Properties: balanced fatty acid composition
Uses: bakery fats, biscuit fat, foodservice frying oils
RBD Palm Olein
Melting point: 20°C
Properties: liquid at room temperature
Uses: snack food manufacture, cooking oils
RBD Palm Stearin:
Melting point:: 48°C
Properties: solid at room temperature
Uses: pastry fats, margarines, soap manufacture
Double Olein (or Super Olein)
Melting point: 10°C
Properties: liquid frying oil, a good replacement for hydrogenated fat,
good resistance to oxidation
Uses: foodservice frying oils
Palm Mid Fraction
Melting point: 25-30°C
Properties: solid at low temperature but melts quickly
Uses: ganache type confectionery fi llings, biscuit fi llings, frying oil
Double Stearin
Melting point: 60-62°C
Properties: very hard, easy to fl ake or powder
Uses: soup dry mixes, cake dry mixes
Mid Stearin
Melting point: 30°C
Properties: mid range melting point
Uses: hard Stock for margarine
Palm Kernel Expeller (PKE)
Properties: good source of fi bre and minerals including
phosphorous, copper, zinc and manganese
Uses: animal feed
Products

5. RBD Palm Kernel Oil
Melting point: 26-28°C
Properties: highly saturated fat, semi-solid at room temperature, good
melting properties, good lathering properties
Uses: confectionery, ice cream, soap formulas
RBD Palm Kernel Olein
Melting point: 22-25°C
Properties: low melting point, generally hydrogenated
Uses: coffee whiteners
RBD Palm Kernel Stearin
Melting point: 32-33°C
Properties: low melting point, good oxidative stability
Uses: confectionery, biscuit cream, ice cream, chocolate coatings
Palm Fatty Acid Distillate (PFAD)
Uses: animal feed, detergents
Palm Kernel Fatty Acid Distillates (PKFAD)
Uses: animal feed, detergents
Oleochemicals:
Properties: a replacement for petrochemicals
Uses: detergent, biofuel
Hydrogenated Palm Kernel Oil (HPKO)
Melting point: 36ºC
Properties: high in saturates, rapid melt down for good fl avour release
Uses: ice cream, confectionery, chocolate coatings, soap, cosmetics,
biofuel
Emulsifi er
Properties: facilitates the mixture of oil and water, signifi cantly
improving the texture of many foods. Also helps to maintain quality and
freshness, preventing the growth of mould which would happen if the oil
and fat separate.
Uses: margarine, low fat spread, biscuits, cakes, ice cream, bread, etc.
Products

6. Hydrogenated Palm Olein
Melting Point: 42ºC
Properties: good melting properties
Uses: dairy fat alternatives
Hydrogenated Double Olein
Melting Point: 36ºC
Properties: good melting properties
Uses: confectionery fi llings
Hydrogenated Palm Oil
Melting Point: 42ºC-65ºC
Properties: high melting point
Uses: distilled emulsifi er manufacture, fl aked and powdered Fats
Hydrogenated Palm Kernel Olein
Melting Point: 41ºC
Properties: High Stability, able to powder
Uses: confectionery coatings, coffee creamers and whiteners
IE Palm
Melting Point: 42ºC
Properties: improved crystallisation
Uses: dry mixes
IE Palm Olein
Melting Point: 38ºC
Properties: improved crystallisation
Uses: confectionery, biscuit fi lling fats
IE Palm Stearin
Melting Point: 50ºC
Properties: fl aked fats
Uses: pizza dough
Products