Physical refining of coconut oil: Effect of crude oil quality and deodorization conditions on neutral oil loss

In the present study, neutral oil loss (distillative and mechanical carry-o ver) during physical refining of coconut oil was quantified. Neutral oil lo ss seems to depend on both the crude oil quality and the process conditions during deodorization. The distillation of volatile glyceridic components ( mono-and diglycerides), originally present in the crude oil, was confirmed as the major cause for the neutral oil loss. The amount of these volatile c omponents in crude coconut oils cannot be derived as such from the initial free fatty acid content. A lower deodorization pressure with less sparge st eam resulted in a larger neutral oil loss than a higher pressure with more steam. A "deodorizability" test on a laboratory scale under standardized co nditions (temperature = 230 degrees C, pressure = 3 mbar, time = 60 min, sp arge steam = 1%), to evaluate crude oil quality and to obtain a more accura te prediction of the expected neutral oil loss and free fatty acid content in the fatty acid distillate, is described.