• How does Alfa Laval refine crude oil into edible oil?
  • Refining crude oil into edible oil requires deep process knowledge¡ªfrom degumming, neutralization and dewaxing through to bleaching, deodorizing and GE and 3-MCPD mitigation. Edible oil producers worldwide rely on Alfa Laval know-how to remove impurities and volatile components and optimize refining processes.
  • How is crude oil reprocessed?
  • The crude oil is then transferred either to special degumming in the physical refining route, to water degumming, or directly to neutralization in the chemical refining route. In the chemical refining route, free fatty acids undergo a reaction to create aqueous soap, which is removed from the oil in centrifuges.
  • What are crude vegetable oils & fats?
  • Crude vegetable oils and fats are mainly triacylglycerols (around 95%) along with impurities and variable amounts of other minor constituents. To ensure the oils are safe for human consumption, the crude oils are subjected to several purification steps, known as refining process.
  • Why should a refined oil be reprocessed?
  • Some of the constituents are desirable due to their beneficiary effects and should be retained in the refined oil; for instance; tocopherols and tocotrienols protect the oil against oxidation , whereas carotenoids are known for their pro-vitamin A activity. Phosphatides and metal traces, on the other hand, will interfere within further processing.
  • Why should crude oil be used in a refining Kettle?
  • Moreover, the use of clean and dry crude oil can ensure a trouble-free continuous refining operation. The crude oil should be free from air¡ªalong the refining process, the soapstock should settle at the bottom of the refining kettle.
  • Which vegetable oil contains gamma-tocopherols?
  • Vegetable oils, especially the seed oils, are rich sources of tocopherols. Soybean oil contains the four isomers of tocopherol and is particularly rich in gamma-tocopherols that constitutes of around 60%. On the other hand, tocotrienols only exist in few of the vegetable oils like palm oil or cereal oils (barley or rice bran).