PARTITION-COEFFICIENT OF DIGLYCERIDES IN CRYSTALLIZATION OF PALM OIL

Crystallization of palm oil with and without solvent was carried out o ver a temperature range of 10-25 degrees C. The yields of olein, the d iglyceride contents, and compositions of the stearin and olein phases were determined by thin-layer and gas-liquid chromatography. The three major diglycerides, analyzed as C-32, C-34, and C-36, are mainly dipa lmitoyl glycerol, palmitoyloleoyl glycerol, and dioleoyl glycerol. In crystallization without solvent, C-32 (PP) had a strong affinity for t he stearin fraction and C-36 diglycerides concentrated in the olein ph ase. The partition coefficient of diglycerides between the olein and s tearin phases was temperature-dependent and was influenced by the type of solvent used. Although solvent enhances the diglyceride partition into the olein phase, partitioning is more effective at low temperatur es and with acetone as the solvent for fractionation.