MY189747A - Phytonutrient extraction from palm oil - Google Patents

Abstract

A process for extracting and concentrating phytonutrients from palm oil obtained from refinery is provided. The process includes subjecting an oily stream to a vacuum steam stripping column and/or deodorizer, to remove volatile compounds such as free fatty acids and other volatiles; introducing the vaporized compounds from the vacuum steam stripping column and/or deodorizer into an extractor comprising rectification system with reflux condenser; partially condensing the vaporized compounds in the reflux condenser and sending cooled vapour from the said reflux condenser to a vapour scrubber where the remaining vaporized compounds are fully condensed and recovered as fatty acid distillate (PFAD) with high free fatty acid content; passing condensate to the said rectification system having incoming vapour from the deodorizer to absorb neutral oil and phytonutrients from the incoming vapour into a liquid extract while free fatty acids are stripped into the vapour stream; distilling the liquid extract under strong vacuum and low evaporation temperature to remove free fatty acids and other more volatile compounds as distillate, neutral oil and other heavy components as residue and the phytonutrients as pre-concentrate; mixing the said pre-concentrate with solvents in a maturation section, followed by chilling, holding, filtration of the precipitated solids, and finally evaporating the solvents to produce phytonutrient concentrate. Most illustrative Drawings: figure 1