The effect of carotene extraction system on crude palm oil quality, carotene composition, and carotene stability during storage

Palm carotene was successfully concentrated from crude palm oil (CPO) by an adsorption process using a synthetic adsorbent followed by solvent extract ion. Evaluation of feed CPO and CPO which underwent the carotene extraction process was conducted. The quality of CPO after the extraction process was slightly deteriorated in terms of free fatty acid, moisture content, impur ities, peroxide value, anisidine value, discriminant function, and deterior ation of bleachability index. However, thc CPO still can be refined to prod uce refined, bleached, deodorized palm oil that meets the Palm Oil Refiners Association of Malaysia specifications. No extra cost was incurred by refi ning this CPO as the dosage of bleaching earth used was very similar to the refining of standard CPO. The triglyceride carbon number and fatty acid co mposition of CPO after going through the carotene extraction process were a lmost the same as CPO data. The major components of the carotene fraction w ere similar to CPO, which contains mainly alpha- and beta- carotene. The ca rotene could be stored for at least 3 mon.