Lipid profile of process streams of palm oil mill

During palm oil extraction, oil loss occurs mainly at three stages of processing, namely sterilization, pressing and clarification. Samples from a semi-commercial palm oil mill were analyzed for their lipid composition (triacylglycerol, diacylglycerol, monoacylglycerol, free fatty acid, phospholipid and glycolipid contents and fatty acid compositions of these lipid classes) and compared with the end product,viz., raw palm oil. The results indicate significant variations between the samples with respect to oil quality and lipid profile. Data relating to the lipid classes showed that sterilizer condensate had the highest levels of free fatty acids (24%), followed by press fiber (12.5%) and sludge effluent (10.9%), as compared to raw oil (1.5%). Diacylglycerol and monoacylglycerol contents were also markedly higher for these streams. Press fiber was characterized by extremely high proportions of phospholipids and glycolipids. Distribution of fatty acids (16:0, 18:1, 18:2 and 18:3) also varied among lipid classes of the process streams, particularly between polar lipids. This paper discusses the compositional aspects of lipids relating to quality of oils of the palm oil mill streams.