We
own and operate a number of strategically located
and vertically integrated palm and lauric oils processing
plants, in Indonesia, Malaysia,China, India and
Europe to process palm and lauric oils into, among
others, RBD (refined, bleached and deodorised) palm
oil, RBD palm olein, RBD palm stearin, specialty
fats, oleochemicals and biodiesel. Our palm oil,
laurics and related products are widely used in
many industries including food manufacturing, cosmetics
and pharmaceutical industries.
The
process begins with the harvesting of fresh
fruit bunches (FFBs) which are milled within
24 hours from harvesting. FFBs are first
transferred to the palm oil mills for sterilisation
by applying high-pressure steam, whereupon
the palm fruits are enzyme deactivated and
separated from the palm bunches.
After the steaming process, the palm fruitlets
are crushed in a pressing machine to obtain
crude palm oil and palm kernel. Waste and
water is then cleared and separated from
the CPO by means of a centrifuge. The cleared
crude palm oil emerging from the centrifuge
is then sent for refining while the palm
kernel nut is sent for crushing. The empty
fruit bunches and liquid waste arising from
the process are used as fertiliser in the
plantations.
The
palm kernel nut is fractured causing the
palm kernel within the shell to contract
away from the shell. The shell is separated
from the kernel through a clay bath where
it is used as fuel in the boiler room or
co-generation plant.
The palm kernel is further crushed to produce
crude palm kernel oil and the remaining
palm kernel meal is used as animal feed.
To
produce refined oil, crude palm oil and
crude palm kernel oil is processed through
three refining stages, namely degumming,
bleaching and deodorising. In degumming,
the gum and fatty acid in crude palm oil
and crude palm kernel oil are separated
together with other impurities such as trace
minerals, copper and iron by the application
of phosphoric acid.
In bleaching, the oil is mixed with bleaching
earth (bentonite calcium) in a vacuum room
to remove impurities and colour pigments
in the palm oil. In deodorising, the odour
and taste of the oil is removed when the
oil is steamed at high temperatures between
240°C to 260°C and then cooled to
room temperature.
RBD
palm stearin and RBD palm olein are obtained
by the fractionation of RBD palm oil; whereas
RBD palm kernel stearin and RBD palm kernel
olein are obtained by the fractionation
of RBD palm kernel oil. Through a process
known as crystallisation, RBD oil is cooled
until crystals are formed.
The crystallized oil in the crystallizer
is then filtered through a membrane to separate
the liquid fraction i.e. olein from the
solid fraction i.e. stearin. RBD palm olein
is usually sold as cooking oil and may go
through further fractionation depending
on the quality required.
The
process begins with the harvesting of fresh
fruit bunches (FFBs) which are milled within
24 hours from harvesting. FFBs are first
transferred to the palm oil mills for sterilisation
by applying high-pressure steam, whereupon
the palm fruits are enzyme deactivated and
separated from the palm bunches.
The
palm kernel nut is fractured causing the
palm kernel within the shell to contract
away from the shell. The shell is separated
from the kernel through a clay bath where
it is used as fuel in the boiler room or
co-generation plant.
To
produce refined oil, crude palm oil and
crude palm kernel oil is processed through
three refining stages, namely degumming,
bleaching and deodorising. In degumming,
the gum and fatty acid in crude palm oil
and crude palm kernel oil are separated
together with other impurities such as trace
minerals, copper and iron by the application
of phosphoric acid.
RBD
palm stearin and RBD palm olein are obtained
by the fractionation of RBD palm oil; whereas
RBD palm kernel stearin and RBD palm kernel
olein are obtained by the fractionation
of RBD palm kernel oil. Through a process
known as crystallisation, RBD oil is cooled
until crystals are formed.
