WO2021118334A1

WO2021118334A1 - Process for producing crude palm fruit oil and virgin palm fruit oil

Info

Publication number: WO2021118334A1
Application number: PCT/MY2020/000022
Authority: WO
Inventors: Chien Lye @ Mervin CHEW; Chin Ming Lim; Shwu Fun KUA; Jaime Yoke Sum Low; Bee Aik TAN; Arutchelvam BALAKRISHNAN; Mohd Ibnur Syawal ZAKARIA; Amirul Hakim NOOR HAIZAT; Syed Mohd Hadi SYED HILMI; Noor Irma Nazashida MOHD HAKIMI; Muliadi MUSTANER; Nik Suhaimi MAT HASSAN
Original assignee: Sime Darby Plantation Intellectual Property Sdn. Bhd.
Priority date: 2019-12-11
Filing date: 2020-12-10
Publication date: 2021-06-17

Abstract

A process for producing low free fatty acids (FFA)-crude palm fruit oil, the process including the steps of layering (101) oil palm fresh fruit bunches (FFB) with at least one fruit ripening composition, incubating (102) the oil palm FFB for a time range of between 1 to 48 hours, segregating (103) the oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets and/or the partially stripped oil palm FFB to produce oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets, stripping (104) the partially stripped oil palm FFB to further produce oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets, cleaning the oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets, extracting undiluted crude palm fruit containing an aqueous phase of between 20 wt.% to 60 wt.%, oil phase of between 30 wt.% to 70 wt.% and non-oily solid phase of between 0 wt.% to 10 wt.% via an oil extractor apparatus (107) comprising a sterilisation unit (201), a digestion unit (202), a pressing unit (203) and a conveyor (200), recovering the undiluted crude palm fruit oil, mixing the recovered undiluted crude palm fruit oil with dilution water to produce diluted crude palm fruit oil containing an aqueous phase of between 20 wt.% to 80 wt.%, an oil phase of between 20 wt.% to 60 wt.% and a non-oily solid phase of between 0 wt.% to 10 wt.% and clarifying and/or centrifuging the diluted crude palm fruit oil or the recovered undiluted crude palm fruit oil, followed by purifying and drying wherein the total chlorine content of the low FFA-crude palm fruit oil is in a range of between 0.5 ppm to 5 ppm, phosphorus level of the crude palm fruit oil is in a range of between 5 ppm to 20 ppm and FFA levels of the crude palm fruit oil is in a range of between 0.5% to 5%.

Description

PROCESS FOR PRODUCING CRUDE PALM FRUIT OIL AND VIRGIN PALM

FRUIT OIL

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to a process for producing crude palm fruit oil and/or virgin palm fruit oil. More particularly, to a process for producing low FFA crude palm fruit oil and/or virgin palm fruit oil using a fruit ripening composition followed by various palm oil processing means.

BACKGROUND

The oil palm tree (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) is an important oil-food crop which originates from West Africa and was introduced to Malaysia by the British in the early 1870s as an ornamental plant. Oil palm has a yield per hectare, which is between 7 to 10 times higher than that of soybean and rapeseed oil. Palm oil has become the most important vegetable oil in the world and palm oil production has risen by more than 4 times in the past 20 years. It is projected that in 2020, at least 78 million tonnes of palm oil will be required to meet global demand (Mielke, 2013).

Oil palm is superior due to its high oil yield potential compared to other vegetable oils. It is the highest yielding oil-food crop with a recent average yield of 4.03 tonnes per hectare per year (2017) and with best progenies known to produce about 10 tonnes per hectare per year. (Source: Oil World \ Malaysian Palm Oil Council). Oil palm is also the most efficient plant known for harnessing the energy of sunlight for producing oil. Oil palm is cultivated for both palm oil (which is produced in the mesocarp) and palm kernel oil (which is produced in the kernel). Palm oil production for 2018 is around 70 million tonnes which is almost 31% of the global oils & fats production and demand is expected to increase substantially in the future with increasing global population and per capita consumption of oils and fats. (Source: Oil World)

Palm trees bear fruit in the third year after planting and continue producing for about 25 years. Fresh fruit bunches (FFB) of 4 to 20 kg contain 200 to 2,000 individual fruitlets and are harvested throughout the year. The FFB are transported to palm oil mills where crude palm oil (CPO) is produced by mechanical and physical extraction processes along with palm kernels from which a further palm kernel oil can be produced. In a typical palm oil milling process, several operations are involved in extracting palm oil from FFB, which are sterilisation, stripping, digestion and pressing, clarification, purification, drying and storage.

Freshly cut fruit bunches and detached oil palm loose fruitlets are transported to the palm oil mill where they are sterilised to deactivate the lipolytic enzymes (as the quality of the oil will deteriorate due to free fatty acids, which increases through bruising and damaging of the fruitlets on FFB through harvesting and transportation to the palm oil mills), loosen the fruitlets on the bunch, soften the fruitlets, condition the kernels and cause protein to coagulate. The sterilisation process uses live steam at about 3 bar for a certain period of time. In the conventional milling process, FFB and oil palm loose fruitlets are loaded into cages and pushed into sterilizers whereby the FFB are cooked in batches. The cooking of the fruitlets happens using steam, which is let in by the opening of inlet valves which could be easily controlled by an automated programme. Once the fruitlets have been cooked in the cages, the steam is exhausted from the steriliser and the fruit cages are pulled out of the steriliser. The steriliser is usually a pressure vessel with the bottom part lined with liners of mild steel or stainless steel for easy replacement for wear and tear purposes. The body of the steriliser is insulated so that the heat loss is minimised.

Stripping the fruitlets from the sterilised bunches (threshing) is carried out in a rotating cage with bars that allows the fruitlets to pass through, but retains the empty bunches. The loosened fruitlets are collected by a conveyor below the cage and the empty bunches emerge at the end of the cage. The separated fruitlets are then fed to a digester, which is a cylindrical, steam-jacketed vessel kept at 90°C to 100°C by the injection of live steam. It is fitted with beater arms that break up the fruit and liberate the oil. The digested contents are then fed continuously to a screw press that produces a liquid stream consisting of oil, fines and an aqueous phase, and a press cake containing the fruit fibre residue and the palm kernels. The liquid stream is passed to a settling tank via a vibrating screen that returns what it retains to the digester. The oil recuperated from the settling tank is first passed through a purifier to further remove the impurities from the oil and then dried using a vacuum dryer. The sludge collected in the settling tank is passed to a decanter that separates this sludge into a heavy effluent phase and a light, oily phase that is returned to the clarifier tank. This conventional process is summarised as per Figure 1.

In the conventional palm oil mill processing, FFB and oil palm loose fruitlets are not separated and therefore, sterilized together in the same cage and in some cases, a separate cage could be used (i.e. dedicated cage designed for processing oil palm loose fruitlets). As FFB and the oil palm loose fruitlets are sterilised together under the same sterilisation time, this causes the oil palm loose fruitlets to be overcooked. As a result of this, high amount of oil seepage from oil palm loose fruitlets takes place which causes higher absorption and oil loss in the fruit bunches and steriliser condensate respectively, resulting in low / inefficient oil recovery at the mill. Many studies have shown that recovering oil from fruit bunches and/or steriliser condensate deteriorates the quality of the oil. Even if a dedicated cage is used for the oil palm loose fruitlets (but sterilisation takes place together with the FFB in a separate cage due to low volume of oil palm loose fruitlets), and this will still contribute to higher oil loss in the condensate and empty fruit bunches (EFB). This is primarily due to the compaction effect of the oil palm loose fruitlets in the dedicated cages which causes difficulty for heat penetration into the middle and bottom part of the steriliser cages. In terms of oil quality, this will cause high oxidation (due to over-sterilisation of the oil palm loose fruitlets on the upper part of the case) which deteriorates the oil quality that results in poor oxidative stability in the produced oil.

In a situation where the oil palm loose fruitlets are combined with FFB and then proceeds to conventional sterilisation process, certain degree of oil is also released from the oil palm loose fruitlets due to the weight of the FFB which presses the oil palm loose fruitlets at the bottom part of the cage. The oil palm loose fruitlets here mean ripe fruitlets and are usually at the outer layer of the FFB. It is known that at least 44% of oil is contributed from the outer layer of the FFB and the remaining is from the middle and inner layer of the fruits in the FFB. Some parts of the released oil are then absorbed by the EFB due to the natural texture of the EFB. Therefore, oil loss via absorption of oil into the EFB can be reduced if oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets and FFB are processed separately.

Conventional means of sterilisation as carried out in batch wise process results in various disadvantages such as described in the earlier paragraphs. As the bunches are stacked in cages during the sterilisation process, steam will not penetrate uniformly throughout the cages and the FFB also comes in different sizes which means that different time is required for each bunch to reach a certain temperature resulting in that the bunches in the middle of the cages receiving less steam contact. Apart from this, air in the cages needs to be expelled before further steam can penetrate the cages via the batch process which results in steam wastage. This will also lead to oil loss as oil is carried away in the steam condensate.

Apart from oil loss, another problem attached to the current conventional process is that high free fatty acids (FFA) levels are found in the oil extracted from oil palm loose fruitlets due to the delay in the processing of the oil palm loose fruitlets. In some mills’ practices, oil palm loose fruitlets are segregated and processed at the end of the mill operating hours, to prevent contamination of high quality / low-FFA oil from processing oil palm loose fruitlets with high-FFA oil and in some cases the delay is due to the waiting period to accumulate oil palm loose fruitlets until sufficient amount is obtained before being processed.

CPO undergoes several refining steps to produce refined palm oil. Depending on whether the refined palm oil is produced by chemical (alkaline) refining or by physical refining (almost 80% is via physical refining), these refining steps include degumming, neutralization, bleaching and deodorisation above 200°C (chemical refining) or degumming, bleaching and deodorisation at 240-260°C (physical refining).

3-monochloropropane-l,2-diol (3-MCPD) esters have been found in all refined vegetable oils such as margarine and oils, and in fat-containing foods including infant formula. The 3-MCPD esters are formed at high temperatures during the refining of edible fats and oils, mainly during the deodorisation step. The main factors for the formation of 3-MCPD esters are the presence of chloride ions, glycerol, tri- di- or monoacylglycerides, as well as temperature and time (ILSI Europe Report Series, 2009).

Studies have identified 3-MCPD fatty acid esters in refined oils, such as refined palm oil whereby 3-MCPD fatty acid esters are believed to be formed at high temperatures following a reaction between fats and chloride ions. In the refining of palm fruit oil and fractions of palm fruit oil, 3-MCPD fatty acid esters are believed to be formed predominantly during deodorisation (where the oil is heated up to more than 200°C), the last stage in refining wherein undesirable odorous and taste-bearing substances are removed. 3-MCPD esters are formed during deodorisation due to a thermal catalysed decomposition of organochlorine compounds naturally occurring in palm oil into reactive chlorinated compounds such as hydrogen chloride. These compounds can react with acylglycerols to yield MCPD diesters and also release the free fatty acids from the intact triglyceride molecule (Destaillats, et ah, 2012). Besides 3-MCPD fatty acid esters, 2-MCPD fatty acid esters and glycidyl fatty acid esters (GE) have also been identified in these refined palm fruit oils.

Since the first finding of 3-MCPD esters and related compounds in vegetable oils, different possibilities to minimize the formation during refining have been suggested, but only little information are available about precursors for the formation, but it is not clear yet how they act and whether a certain threshold value is necessary [Effect of Different Precursors on the Formation of 3-MCPD Esters and Related Compounds, Federal Research Institute for Nutrition and Food, Germany]

Ethylene [C2H₄], a type of plant growth regulator or a plant hormone is a vital chemical in agriculture. Ethylene influences almost every part of the development stages in plant growth from germination to fruit ripening to senescence. It is known that the application of ethylene at the appropriate time and dose promotes agricultural production. Plant growth regulators have made huge developments in promoting plant growth and development whereby plant growth regulators in low concentrations are able to affect physiological plant processes. Ethylene [C2H₄], is essentially a simple gas, also known as the ‘ripening hormone’ is considered to be involved in numerous processes from seed ontogeny to senescence and even in post-harvest technology. Exogenous sources include natural production by soil microbiota and synthetic ethylene releasing compounds such as ethephon. C2H4 is available commercially as a gas and C2H4 releasing compounds such as ethephon, ethrel and others. Ethephon has many applications in agriculture and has been applied to field crops such as wheat, barley, cotton and also in the production of coffee, pineapple, rubber and sugarcane. The hydrolysis of ethephon (2- chloroethanephosphonic acid) at pH 5 and above yields chloride, phosphate and ethylene as shown below:

Cl- CH2 - CH2 - PO3H2 + OH -» CH2 = CH2 + cr + H3PO₄ (ethephon) (ethylene)

[Source: Ethylene Agricultural Sources and Applications, Muhammad Arshad and William T. Frankenberger, Jr.]

Natural ripening is a natural process whereby fruits become edible, sweeter, less green, soft, palatable and nutritious for consumption. Some fruits like mangoes, apples, papaya and bananas will continue to ripen after harvested from trees and some will not continue to ripen after harvest such as grapes, oranges and strawberries. Hence, it is best that fruits are harvested close to ripening stage, however, harvesting of unripe fruits have become a necessity as ripe fruits are not suitable for export purposes or long distance travels within a state or country itself. Artificial ripening is when ripening agents such as ethylene and acetylene helps in the ripening process. Others are also used such as calcium carbide (banned in many countries), acetylene gas, potassium sulphate, potassium dihydrogen arthoposphate, oxycotin, carbon monoxide, putrescine and others. According to an article entitled “Delayed Ripening Technology” [Source: International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA)], ethylene is a natural plant hormone associated with growth, development, ripening and aging of many plants is said to promote ripening of variety of fruits such as bananas, pineapples, tomatoes, mangoes, melons and papayas (climacteric fruits). Climacteric fruits are harvested once they have reached maturity and then undergoes rapid ripening during transit and storage. It takes about 45-55 days for tomatoes to reach full maturity. Production of ethylene within the fruit signals the activity of different enzymes resulting in physiological changes such as change of colour from green to red, softening of the fruit and development if distinct taste and aroma. There are several ways to control ripening process by genetic modification as the amount of ethylene produced can be controlled primarily by “switching off’ or decreasing production of ethylene in the fruit such as via suppression of ACC (1-aminocyclopropane-l-carboxylic acid) synthase gene expression, insertion of ACC deaminase gene, insertion of the SAM hydrolase gene and suppression of ACC oxidase gene expression.

“Ethylene influence on leaf and fruit detachment in ‘Manzanillo’ olive trees” [Source: Scientia Horticulturae - Volume 4, Issue 4, June 1976, Pages 337-344] describes about the fruit removal force (FRF) of olive fruits decreased after treatment with the ethylene releasing agents CGA 13'586 and ethephon. The former has a higher pH in solution and releases ethylene quickly and in very large amounts, while the latter has a much lower pH and releases ethylene slowly and in much smaller concentrations. The influence of each of the agents on the FRF followed a parallel pattern to its ethylene evolution; CGA 13'586 caused a fast and continuous decrease in the FRF, while ethephon caused a small reduction, a period of steady state and a second reduction in the FRF. At the end of the second stage the FRF was similar for both chemicals. A possible mode of action for the two chemicals is suggested. This article does not describe a process of producing low FFA- crude palm fruit oil and/or virgin palm fruit oil using at least one fruit ripening composition such as ethylene gas, ethylene precursors, ethylene producing agents or any combination thereof followed by (a) processing via a segregating, stripping and cleaning steps and separate loose fruit processing via an oil extractor apparatus, (b) processing via a segregating and cleaning steps and separate loose fruit processing via an oil extractor apparatus, (c) processing via segregating and stripping steps, sterilisation (preferably via a continuous steriliser) followed by conventional CPO processing means and/or (d) processing via sterilisation (preferably via a continuous steriliser) and stripping step followed by conventional CPO processing means. “Ethylene preparation and its application to physiological experiments” [Source: Plant Signal Behav. 2010 Apr; 5(4): 453-457] describes about ethylene which is the first identified gaseous hormone regulating many aspects of plant growth and development. ACC and ethephon are two widely used chemicals replacing ethylene treatment when ethylene is not available. However, the amount of ethylene converted by ACC and ethephon is uncontrollable, leaving the question whether the treatment can mimic the effects of ethylene for experiments that are sensitive to ethylene concentration, response window, and treatment durations. Ethylene can be chemically made by ethanol dehydration; however, further purification from the dehydration products is needed. As reported previously the ethylene gas can be easily prepared by decomposing ethephon in a buffered condition, resulting in the release of ethylene for direct application. Ethylene responses can be estimated by the measurement of the hypocotyl length of etiolated seedlings, or by ERF1 (Ethylene Response Factorl) expression. Although ACC of low concentrations is insufficient to induce ERF1 expression, ACC of high concentrations can replace ethylene for experiments where ethylene treatment is not feasible. However, ACC may undergo early consumption. This article does not describe a process of producing low FFA-crude palm fruit oil and/or virgin palm fruit oil using at least one fruit ripening composition such as ethylene gas, ethylene precursors, ethylene producing agents or any combination thereof followed by (a) processing via a segregating, stripping and cleaning steps and separate loose fruit processing via an oil extractor apparatus, (b) processing via a segregating and cleaning steps and separate loose fruit processing via an oil extractor apparatus, (c) processing via segregating and stripping steps, sterilisation (preferably via a continuous steriliser) followed by conventional CPO processing means and/or (d) processing via sterilisation (preferably via a continuous steriliser) and stripping step followed by conventional CPO processing means.

According to an article entitled “Effect of Ethephon and Ethylene Gas on Ripening and Quality of Tomato during Cold Storage” [Source: Dhall and Singh, J Nutr Sci 2013, 3:6], tomato ripening is characterized by loss of chlorophyll and rapid accumulation of carotenoids, particularly lycopene, as chloroplasts are converted to chromoplasts. However, ripening is a problem in tomato during winter months due to foggy weather and low temperature which does not allow tomatoes to mature themselves on the plant. The low temperature also slows down the degradation of chlorophyll and synthesis of lycopene. Such conditions affect the colour, texture and flavour development of the fruits. As a result, tomato fruit fail to ripen and develop full colour and flavour, irregular (blotchy) colour development, premature softening, surface pitting, browning of seeds and increased decay (especially black mold caused by Alternaria sp.). Ripening agent like calcium carbide is often utilised in India to speed up the ripening process during winter months. As the use of calcium carbide is prohibited in India due to health reasons, an alternative of this chemical is required. In this direction, ethylene gas and ethephon chemical have been found to accelerate the ripening of mature green tomato fruits and has already been used commercially in other countries for uniform and early ripening of tomatoes. This article does not describe a process of producing low FFA-crude palm fruit oil and/or virgin palm fruit oil using at least one fruit ripening composition such as ethylene gas, ethylene precursors, ethylene producing agents or any combination thereof followed by (a) processing via a segregating, stripping and cleaning steps and separate loose fruit processing via an oil extractor apparatus, (b) processing via a segregating and cleaning steps and separate loose fruit processing via an oil extractor apparatus, (c) processing via segregating and stripping steps, sterilisation (preferably via a continuous steriliser) followed by conventional CPO processing means and/or (d) processing via sterilisation (preferably via a continuous steriliser) and stripping step followed by conventional CPO processing means.

Article entitled “Fruit Ripening” obtained from TNAU (Tamil Nadu Agricultural University) Agritech Portal describes about ethylene, a ripening hormone produced by the plant plays a major physiological role in the ripening process and a simple technology practiced in households (to trigger ripening process) is to keep un-ripened and ripened fruits together inside an air tight container, as the ripened fruits will release ethylene, hence, ripening of the un-ripened fruits will be faster. Ethylene gas filled in pressurized cans also promotes fruit ripening in 24 to 48 hours. Most climacteric fruits in India are ripened with industrial grade calcium carbide, which contains traces of arsenic and phosphorus. The use of this chemical is illegal in most countries. Ethylene being a natural hormone does not pose any health hazard for consumers of the fruit. It has also been known for a long time that treatment of unripe fruits with ethylene would merely stimulate natural ripening until the fruit itself starts producing ethylene in large quantities. This article does not describe a process of producing low FFA-crude palm fruit oil and/or virgin palm fruit oil using at least one fruit ripening composition such as ethylene gas, ethylene precursors, ethylene producing agents or any combination thereof followed by (a) processing via a segregating, stripping and cleaning steps and separate loose fruit processing via an oil extractor apparatus, (b) processing via a segregating and cleaning steps and separate loose fruit processing via an oil extractor apparatus, (c) processing via segregating and stripping steps, sterilisation (preferably via a continuous steriliser) followed by conventional CPO processing means and/or (d) processing via sterilisation (preferably via a continuous steriliser) and stripping step followed by conventional CPO processing means.

Article entitled “Induced Ripening Agents and Their Effect on Fruit Quality of Banana” [Source: International Journal of Food Science, Volume 2019, Article ID 2520179, 8 pages] states that banana ripening process can be enhanced using artificial ripening agents such as ethylene gas, ethephon, acetylene (emitted from calcium carbide), ethylene glycol and alkyl alcohols. Smoke generated from burning green leaves or kerosene burners are also used as traditional methods in banana ripening. Many studies on the effect of different ripening agents on fruit quality shows that naturally ripened bananas exhibit better sensory characteristics compared to treated fruits. This article does not describe a process of producing low FFA-crude palm fruit oil and/or virgin palm fruit oil using at least one fruit ripening composition such as ethylene gas, ethylene precursors, ethylene producing agents or any combination thereof followed by (a) processing via a segregating, stripping and cleaning steps and separate loose fruit processing via an oil extractor apparatus, (b) processing via a segregating and cleaning steps and separate loose fruit processing via an oil extractor apparatus, (c) processing via segregating and stripping steps, sterilisation (preferably via a continuous steriliser) followed by conventional CPO processing means and/or (d) processing via sterilisation (preferably via a continuous steriliser) and stripping step followed by conventional CPO processing means.

Article entitled “Isolation and Characterisation of an Ethylene Receptor from Oil Palm Mesocarp” [Source: Journal of Oil Palm Research Vol. 30 June 2018 p. 251-264] states that the oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) fruit is climacteric whereby ripening process of the fruits is accompanied by a burst of ethylene production. Sequence analysis showed it has conserved domains and a protein structure similar to the ERS-type ethylene receptors found in ethylene receptor genes from other plant species. These results provide evidence that oil palm fruit development is regulated by ethylene through the action of the EGER D3 ethylene receptor gene, which opens up the possibility of manipulating the ethylene receptor to control ethylene sensitivity during oil palm fruit development to further improve oil palm yields. Several studies have demonstrated the role of ethylene in promoting the ripening process of oil palm fruit [Henderson and Osborne, 1999; Tranbarger at. al, 2011; Nurniwalis, 2017]. An autocatalytic burst of ethylene produced in mesocarp tissues was detected during ripening stages which indicated the characteristics of a climacteric fruit. Oil palm research on ethylene has been limited but the possibility that ethylene may also be responsible for triggering oil production and other changes associated with fruit ripening has been examined but not in great detail. This article does not describe a process of producing low FFA-crude palm fruit oil and/or virgin palm fruit oil using at least one fruit ripening composition such as ethylene gas, ethylene precursors, ethylene producing agents or any combination thereof followed by (a) processing via a segregating, stripping and cleaning steps and separate loose fruit processing via an oil extractor apparatus, (b) processing via a segregating and cleaning steps and separate loose fruit processing via an oil extractor apparatus, (c) processing via segregating and stripping steps, sterilisation (preferably via a continuous steriliser) followed by conventional CPO processing means and/or (d) processing via sterilisation (preferably via a continuous steribser) and stripping step followed by conventional CPO processing means.

According to an article entitled “Gibberellins Play a Role in Regulating Tomato Fruit Ripening” [Source: Plant and Cell Physiology, Volume 60, Issue 7, July 2019, Pages 1619- 1629], although exogenous applications of gibberelhns (GAs) delay tomato ripening, the regulatory mechanisms of GAs in the process have never been well recognized. They reported that the concentration of endogenous GAs declined before the increase of ethylene production in mature-green to breaker stage fruits. It was further demonstrated that reductions in GA levels via overexpression of a GA catabohsm gene SlGA2oxl specifically in fruit tissues lead to early ripening. Consistently, it was also observed that application of a GA biosynthetic inhibitor, prohexadione-calcium, at the mature-green stage accelerates fruit ripening, while exogenous GA3 application delays the process. Furthermore, it was also shown that ethylene biosynthetic gene expressions and ethylene production are activated prematurely in GA-deficient fruits but delayed/reduced in exogenous GA3-treated WT fruits and that the GA deficiency-mediated activation of ethylene biosynthesis is due to the activation of the ripening regulator genes RIN, NOR and CNR. In conclusion, the results demonstrate that GAs play a negative role in tomato fruit ripening. This article does not describe a process of producing low FFA-crude palm fruit oil and/or virgin palm fruit oil using at least one fruit ripening composition such as ethylene gas, ethylene precursors, ethylene producing agents or any combination thereof followed by (a) processing via a segregating, stripping and cleaning steps and separate loose fruit processing via an oil extractor apparatus, (b) processing via a segregating and cleaning steps and separate loose fruit processing via an oil extractor apparatus, (c) processing via segregating and stripping steps, sterilisation (preferably via a continuous steriliser) followed by conventional CPO processing means and/or (d) processing via sterilisation (preferably via a continuous steribser) and stripping step followed by conventional CPO processing means. Article entitled “Post-Harvest Ripening of Oil Palm Fruit is Accelerated by Application of Exogenous Ethylene” [Source: Songklanakarin J. Sci.Technol. 36 (3), 255-259, May-Jun 2014] describes that the number of abscised fruit was highest with 1000 ml/L ethylene treatment. The ripening was hastened by ethylene treatments as observed through colour change. The oil palm fruitlets in a bunch ripen in an order form the bottom to the middle and to the top. Thus, the ripening degree decreases with the section of the bunch from the bottom to the middle to the top. Ethylene is known as a ripening hormone and it is widely applied to hasten the maturation of especially climacteric type fruits: exogenous ethylene application promotes ripening, however, only few past reports on its application to stimulate fruit maturation in oil palm. Suryanto and Bardair (1994) have reported the application of an ethylene releasing substance (2-chloroehylphosphonic acid; ethephon) sprayed on the cut spikelets or brushed on the cut stalk of a FFB just after harvesting. It is found that ethephon reduced the detachment force significantly and did not influence the development of FFA. This article does not describe a process of producing low FFA- crude palm fruit oil and or virgin palm fruit oil using at least one fruit ripening composition such as ethylene gas, ethylene precursors, ethylene producing agents or any combination thereof followed by (a) processing via a segregating, stripping and cleaning steps and separate loose fruit processing via an oil extractor apparatus, (b) processing via a segregating and cleaning steps and separate loose fruit processing via an oil extractor apparatus, (c) processing via segregating and stripping steps, sterilisation (preferably via a continuous steriliser) followed by conventional CPO processing means and or (d) processing via sterilisation (preferably via a continuous steriliser) and stripping step followed by conventional CPO processing means.

Article entitled “Determination of the Optimum Frequency for Elaeis guineensis Jacq. Detachment” [Source: African Journal of Agricultural Research, 6 (25), pp. 5656-5663] states that in Elaeis guineensis Jacq (oil palm) industry, fruit detachment and oil extraction of oil palm bunches are always being carried out in palm oil mill in a series of standard procedure. A lot of energy is needed and consumed throughout the procedure, especially during sterilisation where a huge amount of energy is needed to produce pressurized steam in order to cook the fruit bunches, only to soften and weaken the stalk so as to facilitate the detachment of the fruits by threshing. This study was proposed to search for an alternative to this current practice. By developing a vibrational oil palm fruit detaching machine, fruitlets were detached from the bunch by means of vibration. The optimum vibration frequency for the detachment of fruitlets from the stalk was determined. The designed and developed experimental vibrational oil palm fruit detaching machine was found to be able to detach fruitlets from the bunch when it is applied with vibration. Besides, the optimum frequency for the vibrational oil palm fruit detaching machine to detach the fruitlets from the bunch was determined to be 3.3 Hz. The use of ethephon hormone (Esigel) in this project has been justified that it has no side effect on the fruit components and moisture content of the oil palm bunches. This article does not describe a process of producing low FFA-crude palm fruit oil and/or virgin palm fruit oil using at least one fruit ripening composition such as ethylene gas, ethylene precursors, ethylene producing agents or any combination thereof followed by (a) processing via a segregating, stripping and cleaning steps and separate loose fruit processing via an oil extractor apparatus, (b) processing via a segregating and cleaning steps and separate loose fruit processing via an oil extractor apparatus, (c) processing via segregating and stripping steps, sterilisation (preferably via a continuous steriliser) followed by conventional CPO processing means and or (d) processing via sterilisation (preferably via a continuous steriliser) and stripping step followed by conventional CPO processing means.

Article entitled “Post-Harvest Ripening of Oil Palm Fruit is Accelerated by Application of Exogenous Ethylene” [Source: Journal of Science and Technology (May 2014)] describes about exogenous ethylene fumigation which accelerated the ripening of oil palm fruit, increased oil yield, and decreased the FFA levels. Experiments were conducted with fresh fully mature fruit bunches of Tenera variety oil-palm. Palm fruit bunches were exposed to 0, 250, 500 or 1000 ml/L ethylene for 24 hours. Each fruit bunch was evaluated in three separate sections: the bottom, the middle, and the top. The exogenous ethylene treatments significantly hastened palm fruit ripening, quantified by an increase in the fruit peel coloring that turns from black to reddish orange. Ethylene treatments also significantly eased detaching the fruit, by reducing the tension force required. Total oil contents of fruit increased with 1000 ml/L ethylene treatment. FFA in untreated palm fruit, especially in the bottom section, were at their highest levels 2 days after harvest, and the FFA levels were lowered by ethylene treatments. It is believed that the use of ethylene gas to detach the fruitlets from the bunch will further improve the efficiency in the mill. This article does not describe a process of producing low FFA-crude palm fruit oil and/or virgin palm fruit oil using at least one fruit ripening composition such as ethylene gas, ethylene precursors, ethylene producing agents or any combination thereof followed by (a) processing via a segregating, stripping and cleaning steps and separate loose fruit processing via an oil extractor apparatus, (b) processing via a segregating and cleaning steps and separate loose fruit processing via an oil extractor apparatus, (c) processing via segregating and stripping steps, sterilisation (preferably via a continuous steriliser) followed by conventional CPO processing means and/or (d) processing via sterilisation (preferably via a continuous steriliser) and stripping step followed by conventional CPO processing means.

Article entitled “Isolation and Characterisation of an Ethylene Receptor (ERS-type) from oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) Mesocarp” [Source: Journal of Oil Palm Research] states that the oil palm fruit is climacteric whereby ripening process of the fruits is accompanied by a burst of ethylene production. Hence, to understand the underlying molecular mechanisms and the role of ethylene in the ripening process of oil palm fruits, this study focused on the isolation and characterisation of the ethylene receptor gene, the first component in the ethylene signalling pathway. The full-length cDNA is 2,225 kb long and encodes a polypeptide of 629 amino acid residues. Sequence analysis showed it has conserved domains and a protein structure similar to the ERS-type ethylene receptors found in ethylene receptor genes from other plant species. Northern and southern analyses revealed that it is highly expressed in the mesocarp tissues and that this gene exists as multiple copies in the oil palm genome. These results provide evidence that oil palm fruit development is regulated by ethylene through the action of the EGER D3 ethylene receptor gene, which opens up the possibility of manipulating the ethylene receptor to control ethylene sensitivity during oil palm fruit development to help further improve oil palm yields. This article does not describe a process of producing low FFA- crude palm fruit oil and/or virgin palm fruit oil using at least one fruit ripening composition such as ethylene gas, ethylene precursors, ethylene producing agents or any combination thereof followed by (a) processing via a segregating, stripping and cleaning steps and separate loose fruit processing via an oil extractor apparatus, (b) processing via a segregating and cleaning steps and separate loose fruit processing via an oil extractor apparatus, (c) processing via segregating and stripping steps, sterilisation (preferably via a continuous steriliser) followed by conventional CPO processing means and/or (d) processing via sterilisation (preferably via a continuous steriliser) and stripping step followed by conventional CPO processing means.

Article entitled “Packaging technologies and their role in food safety” by M. Lalpuria et al. [Source: Microbial Decontamination in the Food Industry, 2012] describes that ethylene gas is a plant hormone that accelerates respiration in fresh fruits and vegetables leading to maturity, senescence and softening of tissues. Ethylene accumulation can also cause yellowing of green vegetables. Ethylene scavengers can be used to absorb ethylene from package headspace to prolong the shelf life and maintain an acceptable visual quality of respiring fruits and vegetables. The most commonly used ethylene scavenging system consists of potassium permanganate embedded in silica. The silica absorbs ethylene and potassium permanganate oxidizes it to acetate and ethanol. Silica can be filled in a sachet and placed in the package or incorporated in the packaging material. Other ethylene scavengers include clay, zeolite, ceramic powder, and mineral oxide powder. This article does not describe a process of producing low FFA-crude palm fruit oil and/or virgin palm fruit oil using at least one fruit ripening composition such as ethylene gas, ethylene precursors, ethylene producing agents or any combination thereof followed by (a) processing via a segregating, stripping and cleaning steps and separate loose fruit processing via an oil extractor apparatus, (b) processing via a segregating and cleaning steps and separate loose fruit processing via an oil extractor apparatus, (c) processing via segregating and stripping steps, sterilisation (preferably via a continuous steriliser) followed by conventional CPO processing means and/or (d) processing via sterilisation (preferably via a continuous steriliser) and stripping step followed by conventional CPO processing means.

According to Sue-Siang Teh et al., (2012) (Physicochemical and quality characteristics of cold-pressed hemp, flax and canola seed oils,) [ Source : Journal of Food Composition and Analysis 30 (2013) 26-31], the need for widely usable and easily available bioactive lipids and natural antioxidants continues to grow and over the last few years, increased interest in cold pressed oils has been observed as these oils have high nutritive properties. Cold pressing is a technology for seed oil production, which involves no heat treatment or chemical treatment. Cold pressing also involves no refining process and may contain a higher level of natural antioxidants. The article does not describe a process of producing low FFA-crude palm fruit oil and/or virgin palm fruit oil using at least one fruit ripening composition such as ethylene gas, ethylene precursors, ethylene producing agents or any combination thereof followed by (a) processing via a segregating, stripping and cleaning steps and separate loose fruit processing via an oil extractor apparatus, (b) processing via a segregating and cleaning steps and separate loose fruit processing via an oil extractor apparatus, (c) processing via segregating and stripping steps, sterilisation (preferably via a continuous steriliser) followed by conventional CPO processing means and/or (d) processing via sterilisation (preferably via a continuous steriliser) and stripping step followed by conventional CPO processing means.

PCT Publication WO2019022591A1 entitled “A Method for Storing Oil Palm Harvest” describes a method for storing oil palm harvest, involves deactivating enzymes responsible for FFA formation, storing the oil palm harvest in an enclosure and ventilating air into contact with the oil palm harvest, where the oil palm harvest is substantially uncooked. An enclosure is something that encloses such as a box, a steel drum, a box pallet, a 20-foot container, an enclosing polymeric film, an amorphous plastic bag, a room or a chamber. The enclosure can be constructed with insulating materials such as fibreglass, polyurethane or other insulating materials to prevent heat transfer and conserve energy. The enclosure covers all sides and can be modular. The enclosure doesn't have to be fully air-tight, hut merely create an environment which is favourable for storage. When gasses such as oxygen, carbon dioxide or ethylene are used, it is preferable to have a substantially air-tight enclosure to reduce the cost of maintaining the desired gas levels in that enclosure. A mobile unit is any enclosure that has mobility characteristics. An example of a mobile unit is a cold-storage lorry which carries perishables. Another embodiment of a mobile unit is a 20-foot container towed by a lorry. The enclosure can be located in an oil palm estate or within a few kilometres away. By having it within the vicinity of an estate, the FFA enzymes can be deactivated sooner to yield oil with low FFA. Additionally, having an enclosure close to the estate also reduces transportation costs. FFB harvest are living tissues and will undergo respiration. Higher respiration rates advance the FFB harvest towards senescence. Respiration rates are influenced by several factors such as temperature, oxygen, relative humidity, carbon dioxide and so on. Oil palm harvests naturally secrete ethylene when they are ripe. Ethylene is a plant hormone regulating fruit ripening by coordinating the expression of genes that are responsible for a variety of processes, including a rise in respiration. Ethylene can optionally be introduced or synthesized by external sources such as with the use of an ethylene generator or with phosphonic acid (Ethephon or 2- Chloroethylphosphonic acid). This PCT application does not describe a process of producing low FFA-crude palm fruit oil and/or virgin palm fruit oil using at least one fruit ripening composition such as ethylene gas, ethylene precursors, ethylene producing agents or any combination thereof followed by (a) processing via a segregating, stripping and cleaning steps and separate loose fruit processing via an oil extractor apparatus, (b) processing via a segregating and cleaning steps and separate loose fruit processing via an oil extractor apparatus, (c) processing via segregating and stripping steps, sterilisation (preferably via a continuous steriliser) followed by conventional CPO processing means and/or (d) processing via sterilisation (preferably via a continuous steriliser) and stripping step followed by conventional CPO processing means.

PCT Publication WO2019022592A1 entitled “Process for Extracting Products from Oil Palm Fruits” describes extracting oil palm products from oil palm fruits comprises: (a) softening mesocarp of the oil palm fruits; (b) digesting the softened oil palm fruits from step (a); and (c) separating palm oil from the digested oil palm fruits from step (b) where the oil palm fruits are substantially clean oil palm fruits. The oil palm fruits are fruits detached from spikelets where the spikelets are removed from FFB or FFB clusters by means of a machinery. The substantially clean oil palm fruits are obtained by cleaning oil palm fruits with air. The hot air is used for cleaning. The substantially clean oil palm fruits are obtained by cleaning oil palm fruits with water, where hot water is used for cleaning. The oil palm fruits are deactivated of enzymes responsible for FFA formation prior to processing. The oil palm fruits are substantially uncooked oil palm fruits. The softening step uses non-pressurized steam. The softening step uses sous-vide cooking. The softening step uses microwaves. The softening step uses induction heating. The softening step uses hot air. The hot air is administered via air frying. The digesting step uses physical force. The digesting step uses friction. The digesting step uses shredding. The digesting step forces softened fruits through a screen. The separating step uses a rotary vacuum drum. The separating step uses centrifugal force. The separating step uses decanter centrifuging. The separating step uses peeler centrifuging. The separating step uses basket centrifuging. The separating step uses filtration. The separating step uses pressing. The separating step uses a filter press. The process includes an additional step of adding solvent. The process includes an additional step of adding enzymes. The process includes an additional separating step to further extract palm oil. The softening step and digesting step are carried out simultaneously. The softening step and digesting step are carried out using sound waves. The digesting step and separating step are carried out simultaneously. The digesting step is conducted at a low temperature extraction of 70° C or less. The digesting step is conducted at a low temperature extraction of 80° C or less. The separating step is conducted at a low temperature extraction of 70° C or less. The separating step is conducted at a low temperature extraction of 80° C or less. The separating step is conducted at a low temperature extraction of 90° C or less. At least one of the step in the process is carried out on a mobile unit, where the mobile unit comprises a shipping container. The softening step includes at least one food-safe equipment. The digesting step includes at least one food-safe equipment. The separating step includes at least one food-safe equipment. The food-safe equipment is a stainless-steel screw press. The palm oil is extracted with food-safe standards. The isolation of oil palm nuts uses a de-pulper. The isolation of palm oil nuts uses winnowing. The extraction of the palm kernels and shells uses hydrocyclone or winnowing. The palm kernels derived from the process is carried out at any stage of the process where the de- stoning step is not required, more than 100 (preferably 7000) kg of oil palm fruits is processed per hour. A detached fruit is defined as a fruit that is intentionally detached from a harvested bunch. The process of detaching fruits is a planned activity. Detached fruits can be induced or natural. Induced detachment includes any methods actively performed on the FFB to detach fruits, for example cutting, shcing, chopping, ethylene treatment, shaking, using physical force or heating. Methods for detachment and cleaning of substantially uncooked detached fruits have been disclosed in co-pending Malaysian patent application PI 2016700359. One embodiment described therein uses ethylene. The PCT and Malaysian patent applications do not describe a process of producing low free FFA-crude palm fruit oil and/or virgin palm fruit oil using at least one fruit ripening composition such as ethylene gas, ethylene precursors, ethylene producing agents or any combination thereof followed by (a) processing via a segregating, stripping and cleaning steps and separate loose fruit processing via an oil extractor apparatus, (b) processing via a segregating and cleaning steps and separate loose fruit processing via an oil extractor apparatus, (c) processing via segregating and stripping steps, sterilisation (preferably via a continuous steriliser) followed by conventional CPO processing means and/or (d) processing via sterilisation (preferably via a continuous steriliser) and stripping step followed by conventional CPO processing means.

United States Patent US5039455A describes an improvement in the conventional process of recovering palm oil. This process is made continuous by the steps of continuously introducing FFB in a receiving bin; while the FFB are in the receiving bin, treating the FFB with steam to deactivate any enzyme responsible for the formation of FFA in the FFB; continuously removing FFB treated in the receiving bin, separating the oil palm loose fruitlets and continuously subjecting same to a combined sterilizing and stripping operation to detach fruitlets from the fruit bunches; continuously feeding the fruitlets, each consisting of a nut surrounded by a pericarp, to a pressurized digester; continuously blowing the digested fruit to a blow tank; and continuously extracting oil by pressing the digested fruit mass. This US Patent does not describe a process of producing low FFA- crude palm fruit oil and/or virgin palm fruit oil using at least one fruit ripening composition such as ethylene gas, ethylene precursors, ethylene producing agents or any combination thereof followed by (a) processing via a segregating, stripping and cleaning steps and separate loose fruit processing via an oil extractor apparatus, (b) processing via a segregating and cleaning steps and separate loose fruit processing via an oil extractor apparatus, (c) processing via segregating and stripping steps, sterilisation (preferably via a continuous steriliser) followed by conventional CPO processing means and/or (d) processing via sterilisation (preferably via a continuous steriliser) and stripping step followed by conventional CPO processing means.

Malaysian Granted Patent MY-163846-A entitled “Method for Detaching Oil Palm Fresh Fruits” states that the method involves loosening fruits on a FFB without substantial cooking; separating the loosened fruits from the FFB. The separated fruits are cleaned prior to subsequent processing. The FFB is broken into loose spikelets prior to the steps of loosening, separating and cleaning. The enzymes responsible for FFA formation are deactivated in the FFB. The FFB is exposed to plant hormones. The FFB is exposed to elevated humidity or temperature. The purpose of the loosening step is to loosen the fruits from the oil palm spikelet’s so that it can be separated without much energy and effort. This is done without substantially cooking the FFB. Fruits obtained without substantial cooking also include fruits detached without any cooking, for example by natural detachment. Fruits are substantially uncooked if they cannot be digested. Any digestion performed on substantially uncooked fruits will yield minimal to no oil. Substantially uncooked fruits need an additional cooking or softening step to fully extract optimum oil from the fruits. One embodiment leaves the fruits to loosen naturally. Oil palm fruits will loosen from the FFB naturally over time without any intervention. External treatments can optionally be used to hasten this loosening process. The parameters of treatment concentration and time are interdependent. Another embodiment exposes the FFB to an unsaturated hydrocarbon gas such as acetylene, butylene, ethylene or propylene to hasten this loosening process. As an example, one embodiment exposes the FFB to containing 1% concentration of ethylene for at least 24 hours. Proper equipment, supervision, experience and care is needed if attempting to use an ethylene concentration exceeding 3% as it is combustible. Another embodiment leaves the FFB in an enclosed room with elevated humidity and temperature for natural detachment. Humidity and temperature can be increased by mild steaming or with a humidifier and heater. Elevated humidity or temperature means any humidity or temperature that is greater than its immediate surroundings. This Malaysian Patent does not describe a process of producing low FFA- crude palm fruit oil and/or virgin palm fruit oil using at least one fruit ripening composition such as ethylene gas, ethylene precursors, ethylene producing agents or any combination thereof followed by (a) processing via a segregating, stripping and cleaning steps and separate loose fruit processing via an oil extractor apparatus, (b) processing via a segregating and cleaning steps and separate loose fruit processing via an oil extractor apparatus, (c) processing via segregating and stripping steps, sterilisation (preferably via a continuous steriliser) followed by conventional CPO processing means and/or (d) processing via sterilisation (preferably via a continuous steriliser) and stripping step followed by conventional CPO processing means.

Indian Patent Application IN20120168611 entitled “Artificial Ripening Device for Bananas and Similar Fruits” describes an apparatus which has an air tight double walled ripening chamber including a gas exhaust vent arranged on an upper part of the chamber along with a sensor mounting module, where the sensor mounting module with solid state relay contacts comprising an analog outputs and a display unit (8). A eugenol monitor comprises a sensor housing made up of an inert plastic with a small hole having a N or P- type semiconductor gas sensing element and a heater element. Openings of the sensor elements are sealed with epoxy resin bonding agents. The apparatus helps in advancing the ripening process by using eugenol in air, surrounding hand of bananas, coupled with air circulation fan assembly incorporated to maintain uniform temperature inside the working chamber and to direct air flow, thus increasing eugenol concentration in the adjacent air and increasing ripening rate. The apparatus is inexpensive, easy to implement by the consumers, obtains uniform ripening of bananas with a reduced fruit bruising and improved fruit flavour, colours and sweetness. The apparatus can handle banana fruits of variety of shapes and sizes. The gas exhaust vent comprises a set of vents placed on a outer wall of the chamber for controlling of the eugenol gas concentration in the air, proper gas exchange and circulation inside the working chamber of the apparatus, and the interior of the chamber is coated with an anti-fog coating to provide better visibility of the fruits and to prevent water drop lets from forming. The apparatus provides hydration and easy to implement by the consumers, and reduces bruising caused by stacking and rolling, utilizes component of herbal leaves, as ripening agents which inexpensive, non-destructive and non-toxic possible to produce high humidity and temperature which are ideal conditions for bananas and similar fruits. This Indian patent application does not describe a process of producing low FFA-crude palm fruit oil and/or virgin palm fruit oil using at least one fruit ripening composition such as ethylene gas, ethylene precursors, ethylene producing agents or any combination thereof followed by (a) processing via a segregating, stripping and cleaning steps and separate loose fruit processing via an oil extractor apparatus, (b) processing via a segregating and cleaning steps and separate loose fruit processing via an oil extractor apparatus, (c) processing via segregating and stripping steps, sterilisation (preferably via a continuous steriliser) followed by conventional CPO processing means and or (d) processing via sterilisation (preferably via a continuous steriliser) and stripping step followed by conventional CPO processing means.

United States Patent Application US20090226584A1 entitled “Fruit Ripening Display” describes a method which comprises placing unripe fruit on fruit support surfaces of an apparatus comprised by display parts, combining two or more display parts to form chambers for ripening fruit to enclose some of the fruit, separating two or more of the display parts after a period of time by a partial separation, removing some of the fruit capable of ripening from the open chambers, combining two or more display parts to form chambers for ripening fruit, and placing some of the removed fruit on one more fruit support surfaces that are in part concave and in part inwardly sloped and located outside of the chambers for retaining ripening gas when the chambers are formed. The size of the two or more display parts permits the fruits to fit entirely on a countertop two feet long by two feet wide when combined, and one of the chambers is in part transparent and ventilated with two vents. The chamber is ventilated with vent inserts. The unripe fruit or ripe fruit is arranged on a top part of the fruit support surface; the fruit located inside the bottom display part is visually inspected through a transparent surface of a display part; the top display part is removed from the bottom display part; the fruit is inspected by touch or smell to confirm ripeness; the ripe fruits are removed from the bottom part of fruit support surface and unripe fruit is left on the same fruit support surface; a top display part is placed over the bottom display part; and the removed fruit is placed on the top display part located outside the bowl. The top display part and bottom display part are separated to hold fruit. The unripe fruit is added to the bottom display part while it still supports fruit that is ripened for a time in the ventilated chamber. The display parts are glass or plastic. The fruit is ripened for more than a day at greater than 4 parts per million of ethylene in the chamber at room atmosphere. The chambers have walls comprising gas impermeable material and are hemispherical or ellipsoidal. The apparatus vents are not on the same level as the surrounding support surface. The support surfaces have a fruit guide, which is a support surface feature. The outside and inside support surfaces of the apparatus are different. This US patent application does not describe a process of producing low FFA-crude palm fruit oil and/or virgin palm fruit oil using at least one fruit ripening composition such as ethylene gas, ethylene precursors, ethylene producing agents or any combination thereof followed by (a) processing via a segregating, stripping and cleaning steps and separate loose fruit processing via an oil extractor apparatus, (b) processing via a segregating and cleaning steps and separate loose fruit processing via an oil extractor apparatus, (c) processing via segregating and stripping steps, sterilisation (preferably via a continuous steriliser) followed by conventional CPO processing means and/or (d) processing via sterilisation (preferably via a continuous steriliser) and stripping step followed by conventional CPO processing means.

Japanese Patent Application JP2018166503A entitled “Fruit Peeling Method and Fruit” describes an ethylene treatment process which accommodates the fruit of the climacteric type / mold in the 2nd container made to generate / occur / produce ethylene gas from the inside of the 1st container which inject / poured ethylene gas, or an ethylene gas generation / production means. The heat-processing process of heating the said fruit that implemented the said ethylene treatment process. The cooling process which cools the said fruit that implemented the said heat-processing process. The exocarp removal process which removes the exocarp structure / tissue of the said fruit which implemented the said cooling process, and obtains a peeled fruit. The peeling method of the fruit characterized by having these. The fruit from which the outer pericarp tissue is removed is a matured fruit of the genus Diospyros or Pyrus, which is one of fruits which are matured hardy peeling skin among climacteric fruits. The ethylene treatment step involves accommodating the fruit in the first container or the second container having an ethylene concentration of 10 parts per million (ppm) or more for 24 hours or more. The heat treatment step involves immersing the fruit in hot water at 95° C or more within a range of 20 seconds or more and 90 seconds or less, preferably 10 seconds or more and less than 45 seconds. The ethylene treatment step is carried out before heat treatment step. This Japanese patent application does not describe a process of producing low FFA-crude palm fruit oil and/or virgin palm fruit oil using at least one fruit ripening composition such as ethylene gas, ethylene precursors, ethylene producing agents or any combination thereof followed by (a) processing via a segregating, stripping and cleaning steps and separate loose fruit processing via an oil extractor apparatus, (b) processing via a segregating and cleaning steps and separate loose fruit processing via an oil extractor apparatus, (c) processing via segregating and stripping steps, sterilisation (preferably via a continuous steriliser) followed by conventional CPO processing means and/or (d) processing via sterilisation (preferably via a continuous steriliser) and stripping step followed by conventional CPO processing means.

Korean Patent Application KE.2018114432A entitled “Low Temperature Storage of Fruits and Vegetable using Waste Heat Application” describes a low temperature storehouse of fruits and vegetables using waste heat comprises a fruit storage unit for storing each fruit that excretes mature hormone containing ethylene, a vegetable storage unit containing propolis solution added into leaf vegetables or fruit vegetables obtained by washing or cleaning, and a cooling water passage for passing cooling water by heat exchange action between fruit storage unit and vegetable storage unit with adsorbent attached to a heat exchanger. The fruit includes apple, kiwi, plum, tomato or melon. The inner surface of comprises fruit storage unit is made of nonwoven fabrics, and outer surface comprises functional material containing activated carbon, iron oxide and zeolite. The fruits stored in fruit storage unit are cooled through cooling water. The propolis solution is an additive capable of performing respiratory action and moisture evaporation suppression function of vegetables, and comprises propolis and leaf vegetables or fruit vegetables. This Korean patent application does not describe a process of producing low FFA-crude palm fruit oil and/or virgin palm fruit oil using at least one fruit ripening composition such as ethylene gas, ethylene precursors, ethylene producing agents or any combination thereof followed by (a) processing via a segregating, stripping and cleaning steps and separate loose fruit processing via an oil extractor apparatus, (b) processing via a segregating and cleaning steps and separate loose fruit processing via an oil extractor apparatus, (c) processing via segregating and stripping steps, sterilisation (preferably via a continuous steriliser) followed by conventional CPO processing means and/or (d) processing via sterilisation (preferably via a continuous steriliser) and stripping step followed by conventional CPO processing means.

Malaysian Patent No. MY-103350-A entitled “A Continuous Steriliser System for Oil Palm Fruits” describes a continuous steriliser system for oil palm fruits comprises one cylindrical housing fitted internally with screw conveyor having at least two pressure steam-locking sluice valves at the inlet and outlet chute of the steriliser, at least one stripping machine, a perforated vibrating screen and at least one scraper plate conveyor for stripping and separating sterilised fruitlets and empty spikelet. The Malaysian Patent does not describe a process of producing low FFA-crude palm fruit oil and/or virgin palm fruit oil using at least one fruit ripening composition such as ethylene gas, ethylene precursors, ethylene producing agents or any combination thereof followed by (a) processing via a segregating, stripping and cleaning steps and separate loose fruit processing via an oil extractor apparatus, (b) processing via a segregating and cleaning steps and separate loose fruit processing via an oil extractor apparatus, (c) processing via segregating and stripping steps, sterilisation (preferably via a continuous steriliser) followed by conventional CPO processing means and/or (d) processing via sterilisation (preferably via a continuous steriliser) and stripping step followed by conventional CPO processing means.

Malaysian Patent No. MY-121530-A entitled “Continuous Extraction of Palm Oil and Palm Kernels” describes a method for continuous processing of oil palm FFB having multiple fruitlets on stalks, so as to render the bunches amenable to extraction of palm oil and palm kernels, comprising crushing of FFB to disrupt the close-knit arrangement of fruitlets in bunches thereby enhancing steam penetration into inner layers of the fruit bunch and heating the crushed FFB as they are conveyed continuously and progressively through a heating zone utilizing steam to an extend sufficient to facilitate substantially complete subsequent stripping of fruitlets from the stalks of the bunches. This Malaysian Patent does not describe a process of producing low FFA-crude palm fruit oil and/or virgin palm fruit oil using at least one fruit ripening composition such as ethylene gas, ethylene precursors, ethylene producing agents or any combination thereof followed by (a) processing via a segregating, stripping and cleaning steps and separate loose fruit processing via an oil extractor apparatus, (b) processing via a segregating and cleaning steps and separate loose fruit processing via an oil extractor apparatus, (c) processing via segregating and stripping steps, sterilisation (preferably via a continuous steriliser) followed by conventional CPO processing means and/or (d) processing via sterilisation (preferably via a continuous steriliser) and stripping step followed by conventional CPO processing means.

Malaysian Patent No. MY-140083-A entitled “A Method of Processing Harvested Oil Palm Fruits” describes a method of processing harvested oil palm fruits comprising of fresh oil palm fruit bunches as well as oil palm loose fruitlets for overall improvements in the palm oil extraction rate through the separate sterilisation of fresh fruit bunches and oil palm loose fruitlets whereby the sterilizer cage is placed in a steam environment and consists of an open-top enclosure having an internal separation structure adapted to facilitate even distribution of steam about fruitlets filled into the cage by providing fluid passages between neighbouring fruitlets. This Malaysian Patent does not describe a process of producing low FFA-crude palm fruit oil and/or virgin palm fruit oil using at least one fruit ripening composition such as ethylene gas, ethylene precursors, ethylene producing agents or any combination thereof followed by (a) processing via a segregating, stripping and cleaning steps and separate loose fruit processing via an oil extractor apparatus, (b) processing via a segregating and cleaning steps and separate loose fruit processing via an oil extractor apparatus, (c) processing via segregating and stripping steps, sterilisation (preferably via a continuous steriliser) followed by conventional CPO processing means and/or (d) processing via sterilisation (preferably via a continuous steriliser) and stripping step followed by conventional CPO processing means.

Published Malaysian Patent Application No. PI 2010005670 entitled “Continuous Sterilisation of Oil Palm Fruitlets” describes a method for sterilizing oil palm fruitlets comprising separating the fruitlets from the bunches with a stripping means, generating heated air by combustion of the bunches in a tunnel kiln and steaming the heated fruitlets in a chimney under a flow of steam produced by spraying hot water into the heated air. The Malaysian patent application does not describe a process of producing low FFA-crude palm fruit oil and/or virgin palm fruit oil using at least one fruit ripening composition such as ethylene gas, ethylene precursors, ethylene producing agents or any combination thereof followed by (a) processing via a segregating, stripping and cleaning steps and separate loose fruit processing via an oil extractor apparatus, (b) processing via a segregating and cleaning steps and separate loose fruit processing via an oil extractor apparatus, (c) processing via segregating and stripping steps, sterilisation (preferably via a continuous steriliser) followed by conventional CPO processing means and/or (d) processing via sterilisation (preferably via a continuous steriliser) and stripping step followed by conventional CPO processing means.

Published Malaysian Patent Application No. PI 2012002964 entitled “A Sterilizer for Treatment Of Oil Palm Fruits” describes a continuous sterilizer for treatment of oil palm fruitlets with hot water under control conditions comprises a) an elongated receptable with a cover and charging oil palm fruitlets from one end and discharging the cooked and sterilised fruits from the other end; b) the fruit bunches are first rinsed in hot water and then threshed to separate the palm oil fruitlets from the EFB; c) the said receptacle is filled with hot water of up to 98 degrees centigrade and the temperature is maintained by way of a series of water jets which have the dual purpose of maintaining the heat in the receptable as well as propelling the floating oil palm fruitlets from one end of the receptable to the other end; d) the water jet inlets are situated at one end of the receptacle designed to push the oil palm fruitlets and the side water jet inlets are angled to help push the oil palm fruitlets along the receptacle; e) the oil palm fruitlets are conveyed by propulsion through the said receptacle for a period of 60 minutes or less until the fruits are cooked and conveyed out of the receptacle to continue the oil milling process; f) the receptacle has an overflow outlet for the collection of palm oil at the surface of the water and this will be recovered using an ultrasonic oil / water separator for the purpose of processing into CPO; g) a micro-bubble device may be added to the water inlets to facilitate the separation of oil from the water within the receptable itself; and h) the receptacle have drainage pipes at the bottom to remove solids and debris as well as water which will be recycled back to the receptacle. This Malaysian patent application does not describe a process of producing low FFA-crude palm fruit oil and or virgin palm fruit oil using at least one fruit ripening composition such as ethylene gas, ethylene precursors, ethylene producing agents or any combination thereof followed by (a) processing via a segregating, stripping and cleaning steps and separate loose fruit processing via an oil extractor apparatus, (b) processing via a segregating and cleaning steps and separate loose fruit processing via an oil extractor apparatus, (c) processing via segregating and stripping steps, sterilisation (preferably via a continuous steriliser) followed by conventional CPO processing means and/or (d) processing via sterilisation (preferably via a continuous steriliser) and stripping step followed by conventional CPO processing means.

United States Patent Application US20020028272A1 entitled “Process of Producing Enriched Vegetable Oils” describes the production of enriched edible vegetable oils comprising the mixing of pre-shelled oil-seeds with medicinal components from various and cold pressing (without the need for high temperatures and associated long cooling times) to release the valuable plant components. This US patent apphcation does not describe a process of producing low FFA-crude palm fruit oil and/or virgin palm fruit oil using at least one fruit ripening composition such as ethylene gas, ethylene precursors, ethylene producing agents or any combination thereof followed by (a) processing via a segregating, stripping and cleaning steps and separate loose fruit processing via an oil extractor apparatus, (b) processing via a segregating and cleaning steps and separate loose fruit processing via an oil extractor apparatus, (c) processing via segregating and stripping steps, sterilisation (preferably via a continuous steriliser) followed by conventional CPO processing means and/or (d) processing via sterilisation (preferably via a continuous steriliser) and stripping step followed by conventional CPO processing means.

Chinese Patent Apphcation CN103343046A entitled “A Sesame Cold-Enzymolysis Method for Preparing Fat and Protein” describes the cold pressing of sesame cake at temperature between 50°C to 70°C with screw speed of 30-50, mixing cold-pressed sesame cake with water to form mixed solution, heat treating, adding 1-3% protease enzyme, performing enzymolysis at 45-65°C for 0.5-2.5 hours with liquid ratio of 5-9 ml/g, performing alkaline extraction, centrifuging, breaking emulsion to obtain sesame oil, emulsion, extract, and residue, and demulsifying emulsion to obtain sesame oil and water phase which provides for a simple and safe process, mild reaction conditions, high extraction rate and low protein denaturation rate and reduces loss of nutrients. This Chinese patent apphcation does not describe a process of producing low FFA-crude palm fruit oil and/or virgin palm fruit oil using at least one fruit ripening composition such as ethylene gas, ethylene precursors, ethylene producing agents or any combination thereof followed by (a) processing via a segregating, stripping and cleaning steps and separate loose fruit processing via an oil extractor apparatus, (b) processing via a segregating and cleaning steps and separate loose fruit processing via an oil extractor apparatus, (c) processing via segregating and stripping steps, sterilisation (preferably via a continuous steriliser) followed by conventional CPO processing means and/or (d) processing via sterilisation (preferably via a continuous steriliser) and stripping step followed by conventional CPO processing means.

European Patent Pubhcation EP2346341A2 entitled “Ripening / Storage Room for Fruit and Vegetables with Reversible Air Flow and Stop & Go Modulation of Air Flow” describes a fruit ripening room control system (specifically for bananas) which operates the fans controlling the air flow, the direction of the air flow, and the heating/coohng system in a fruit ripening room, wherein air flow in the room can be in the direct and reverse directions, and the air flow may be split into three periods: a first period wherein the main air fans are "ON" and cooling/heating is enabled; a second period wherein the fans are "ON" but cooling/heating is disabled; and a third period wherein the fans and cooling/heating are "OFF", said system controlling these variables such that the temperature of the air in the ripening room or the fruit in the ripening room meets a set temperature target. This European patent application does not describe a process of producing low free fatty acids (FFA)-erude palm fruit oil and/or virgin palm fruit oil using at least one fruit ripening composition such as ethylene gas, ethylene precursors, ethylene producing agents or any combination thereof followed by (a) processing via a segregating, stripping and cleaning steps and separate loose fruit processing via an oil extractor apparatus, (b) processing via a segregating and cleaning steps and separate loose fruit processing via an oil extractor apparatus, (c) processing via segregating and stripping steps, sterilisation (preferably via a continuous steriliser) followed by conventional CPO processing means and/or (d) processing via sterilisation (preferably via a continuous steriliser) and stripping step followed by conventional CPO processing means.

European Patent Publication EP1388290A1 entitled “Temperature-Controlled Room” describes a ripening room has an air distribution ceiling having a front end, a rear end and side edges. Air passageways are positioned along each of the side edges. Also claimed is a method of controlling the operation of a ripening room cooling system which includes a compressor, condenser, evaporator, refrigerant and refrigerant line. A smoothly changing, time-variable, pre-determined set-point temperature is provided to a logic unit controller. The average product temperature is measured and its value fed to the controller. The ripening room ambient temperature is also measured and its value fed to the controller. The refrigerant is warmed with a heater at the evaporator outlet. A proportional expansion valve is controlled to regulate the temperature of the supply air from the cooling system while simultaneously smoothly changing the set-point temperature and limiting energy consumption. The system is used to ripen perishable fruits and vegetables, especially bananas. This European patent application does not describe a process of producing low FFA-crude palm fruit oil and/or virgin palm fruit oil using at least one fruit ripening composition such as ethylene gas, ethylene precursors, ethylene producing agents or any combination thereof followed by (a) processing via a segregating, stripping and cleaning steps and separate loose fruit processing via an oil extractor apparatus, (b) processing via a segregating and cleaning steps and separate loose fruit processing via an oil extractor apparatus, (c) processing via segregating and stripping steps, sterilisation (preferably via a continuous steriliser) followed by conventional CPO processing means and or (d) processing via sterilisation (preferably via a continuous steriliser) and stripping step followed by conventional CPO processing means.

European Patent Publication EP2405763A2 entitled “Ripening / Storage Room with Reversible Air Flow” describes an air management unit comprising an air cooler including a fan and a heat exchanger. A storage/ripening room is operably connected to the air management unit via two operational openings e.g. vent hole, that are operably connected to an air reversing component e.g. swing dampers, where the reversing component reversibly blocks the operational openings. The movement unit provides symmetrical air flow, and reverses a direction of the symmetrical air flow through the room, where the direction of air flow is selected from normal air flow and a reverse air flow. Storage and ripening unit for a product such as fruit or vegetables e.g. bananas. The air management unit provides the reversible air flow through the room, thus achieving symmetrical distribution of heat across a load stacked in a room during ripening/storing periods. This European patent application does not describe a process of producing low FFA-crude palm fruit oil and/or virgin palm fruit oil using at least one fruit ripening composition such as ethylene gas, ethylene precursors, ethylene producing agents or any combination thereof followed by (a) processing via a segregating, stripping and cleaning steps and separate loose fruit processing via an oil extractor apparatus, (b) processing via a segregating and cleaning steps and separate loose fruit processing via an oil extractor apparatus, (c) processing via segregating and stripping steps, sterilisation (preferably via a continuous steriliser) followed by conventional CPO processing means and/or (d) processing via sterilisation (preferably via a continuous steriliser) and stripping step followed by conventional CPO processing means.

Chinese Patent Application CN106174213A entitled “Making Method for Dried Bananas” describes a manufacturing method of dried banana, wherein it comprises the following steps: providing a banana as raw material; the banana ripening process, cleaning the peel of the banana, peeling the banana; slicing the banana, getting the banana pulp slice; the banana pulp sheet is dried to obtain dried banana, wherein the banana in the drying operation to dry the water content is 10% to 20%, the dried banana for packaging, wherein the banana ripening by ethephon, wherein temperature of the ripening room is 13 °C to 21 °C, wherein the oxygen concentration of the ripening room is 25% to 38% and wherein the humidity of the ripening room is 80% to 98%. This Chinese patent application does not describe a process of producing low FFA-crude palm fruit oil and/or virgin palm fruit oil using at least one fruit ripening composition such as ethylene gas, ethylene precursors, ethylene producing agents or any combination thereof followed by (a) processing via a segregating, stripping and cleaning steps and separate loose fruit processing via an oil extractor apparatus, (b) processing via a segregating and cleaning steps and separate loose fruit processing via an oil extractor apparatus, (c) processing via segregating and stripping steps, sterihsation (preferably via a continuous sterihser) followed by conventional CPO processing means and/or (d) processing via sterihsation (preferably via a continuous sterihser) and stripping step followed by conventional CPO processing means.

Chinese Utility Model Application CN204245034U entitled “Ripening Bin used for Ripening Bananas” describes a new utility model used for banana plant maturity and maturity bin, comprising bin body, placing frame, seahng film, slide rail, spray pipe and fixed frame set frame level set in storehouse body, and two end frame is set inside wall of cabin body and fixedly connected with the slide rail set at one side frame is set, and bin body and fixedly connected, the whole multi-frame are fixed by connection rod and slide rail can shde connection, and placing the fixed frame and internal frame, seahng film is set with connected to rectangular pipe, spray pipe is set with rectangular tube in inside at outer side of fixing frame and make the whole multi-fixing frame, and the upper place of frame, spray tube and water inlet end and water outlet end of water pump instahed with ethephon and connected. This new utility model used for banana maturity is maturity cabin by using ethephon spray to spray pipe of banana, again by seahng membrane will close in banana in the small space, accelerate ripening process of banana, at the same time seahng film not directly in banana contact and can be a long shde rail moving and improves work efficiency and can repeat use. This Chinese patent apphcation does not describe a process of producing low FFA-crude palm fruit oil and or virgin palm fruit oil using at least one fruit ripening composition such as ethylene gas, ethylene precursors, ethylene producing agents or any combination thereof followed by (a) processing via a segregating, stripping and cleaning steps and separate loose fruit processing via an oil extractor apparatus, (b) processing via a segregating and cleaning steps and separate loose fruit processing via an oil extractor apparatus, (c) processing via segregating and stripping steps, sterihsation (preferably via a continuous sterihser) followed by conventional CPO processing means and/or (d) processing via sterihsation (preferably via a continuous sterihser) and stripping step followed by conventional CPO processing means.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a process for producing low free fatty acids (FFA)-crude palm fruit oil, the process including the steps of layering oil palm fresh fruit bunches (FFB) with at least one fruit ripening composition, incubating the oil palm FFB for a time range of between 1 to 48 hours to produce oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets and/or partially stripped oil palm FFB, segregating the oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets and/or the partially stripped oil palm FFB to produce oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets, stripping the partially stripped oil palm FFB to further produce oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets, cleaning the oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets via dry cleaning and/or wet cleaning for a time period of between 1 to 60 minutes, extracting undiluted crude palm fruit via an oil extractor apparatus comprising a sterilisation unit, a digestion unit, a pressing unit and a conveyor, recovering the undiluted crude palm fruit oil to form recovered undiluted crude palm fruit oil, mixing the recovered undiluted crude palm fruit oil with dilution water to produce diluted crude palm fruit oil and clarifying and/or centrifuging the diluted crude palm fruit oil or the recovered undiluted crude palm fruit oil, followed by purifying and drying to produce the low-FFA crude palm fruit oil, wherein the oil extractor apparatus is a single- stage or multi-stage oil extractor apparatus, total chlorine content of the low FFA-crude palm fruit oil is in a range of between 0.5 ppm to 5 ppm, phosphorus level of the crude palm fruit oil is in a range of between 5 ppm to 20 ppm and FFA levels of the crude palm fruit oil is in a range of between 0.5% to 5%.

The present invention also provides a process for producing low free fatty acids (FFA)- crude palm fruit oil, the process including the steps of layering oil palm fresh fruit bunches (FFB) with at least one fruit ripening composition, incubating the oil palm FFB for a time range of between 1 to 48 hours to produce oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets and/or partially stripped oil palm FFB, segregating the oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets and/or the partially stripped oil palm FFB to further produce oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets, cleaning the oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets via dry cleaning and/or wet cleaning for a time period of between 1 to 60 minutes, extracting undiluted crude palm fruit oil via an oil extractor apparatus comprising a sterilisation unit, a digestion unit, a pressing unit and a conveyor, recovering the undiluted crude palm fruit oil to form recovered undiluted crude palm fruit oil, mixing the recovered undiluted crude palm fruit oil with dilution water to produce diluted crude palm fruit oil and clarifying and/or centrifuging the diluted crude palm fruit oil or the recovered undiluted crude palm fruit oil, followed by purifying and drying to produce the low-FFA crude palm fruit oil, wherein the oil extractor apparatus is a single- stage or multi-stage oil extractor apparatus, total chlorine content of the low FFA-crude palm fruit oil is in a range of between 0.5 ppm to 5 ppm, phosphorus level of the crude palm fruit oil is in a range of between 5 ppm to 20 ppm and FFA levels of the crude palm fruit oil is in a range of between 0.5% to 5%.

Further, present invention provides a process for producing crude virgin palm fruit oil, the process including the steps of layering oil palm fresh fruit bunches with at least one fruit ripening composition, incubating the oil palm FFB for a time range of between 1 to 48 hours to produce oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets and/or partially stripped oil palm FFB, segregating the oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets and/or the partially stripped oil palm FFB to further produce oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets, cleaning the oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets via dry cleaning and/or wet cleaning for a time period of between 1 to 60 minutes and extracting crude virgin palm fruit oil via an oil extractor apparatus comprising a sterilisation unit, a digestion unit, a pressing unit and a conveyor, wherein the oil extractor apparatus is a single-stage or multi-stage oil extractor apparatus, the oil extractor apparatus operates in a pressure range of between 1 x 10⁵ Pa to 5 x 10⁶ Pa and in a temperature range of between 55 °C to 65 °C, preferably at 60 °C, FFA levels of the crude virgin palm fruit oil is in a range of between 0.5 % to 5 %, phosphorus level of the crude palm fruit oil is in a range of between 5 ppm to 20 ppm and total chlorine content of the crude virgin palm fruit oil is in a range of between 0.5 ppm to 5 ppm.

Additionally, the present invention provides a process for producing crude virgin palm fruit oil, the process including the steps of layering oil palm fresh fruit bunches (FFB) with at least one fruit ripening composition, incubating the oil palm FFB for a time range of between 1 to 48 hours to produce oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets and/or partially stripped oil palm FFB, segregating the oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets and/or the partially stripped oil palm FFB to further produce oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets, stripping the partially stripped oil palm FFB to produce oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets, sterilizing the oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets for a time period of between 1 to 240 minutes to produce sterilised oil palm fruitlets in a temperature range of between 55°C to 65°C, preferably at 60 °C, digesting the sterilized oil palm fruitlets to produce digested palm fruitlets in a temperature range of between 25°C to 99.9°C, pressing the digested palm fruitlets to produce pressed palm fruits and crude virgin palm fruit oil in a temperature range of between 55°C to 65, preferably at 60 °C, recovering the crude virgin palm fruit followed by desanding step, 1st separation step, 2nd separation step, purification and drying to produce a virgin palm fruit oil, wherein FFA levels of the crude virgin palm fruit oil is in a range of between 0.5 % to 5 %, phosphorus level of the crude palm fruit oil is in a range of between 5 ppm to 20 ppm and total chlorine content of the crude virgin palm fruit oil is in a range of between 0.5 ppm to 5 ppm. Additionally, the present invention also provides a process for producing low free fatty acids (FFA)-crude palm fruit oil, the process including the steps of layering oil palm fresh fruit bunches (FFB) with at least one fruit ripening composition, incubating the oil palm FFB for a time range of between 1 to 48 hours to produce oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets and/or partially stripped oil palm FFB, segregating the oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets and/or partially stripped oil palm FFB to further produce oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets, stripping the partially stripped oil palm FFB to produce oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets, sterilizing the oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets to produce sterilised oil palm fruitlets in a temperature range of between 50°C to 180°C, digesting the sterilized oil palm fruitlets to produce digested palm fruitlets in a temperature range of between 25°C to 99.9°C, pressing the digested palm fruitlets to produce pressed palm fruits and undiluted crude palm fruit in a temperature range of between 25°C to 99.9°C, recovering the undiluted crude palm fruit oil to form recovered undiluted crude palm fruit oil, mixing the recovered undiluted crude palm fruit oil with dilution water to produce diluted crude palm fruit oil and clarifying and/or centrifuging the diluted crude palm fruit oil or the recovered undiluted crude palm fruit oil, followed by purifying and drying to produce the low-FFA crude palm fruit oil, wherein the oil extractor apparatus is a single-stage or multi-stage oil extractor apparatus, total chlorine content of the low FFA-crude palm fruit oil is in a range of between 0.5 ppm to 5 ppm, phosphorus level of the crude palm fruit oil is in a range of between 5 ppm to 20 ppm and FFA levels of the crude palm fruit oil is in a range of between 0.5% to 5%.

The present invention further provides a process for producing low free fatty acids (FFA)- crude palm fruit oil, the process including the steps of layering oil palm fresh fruit bunches (FFB) with at least one fruit ripening composition, incubating the oil palm FFB for a time range of between 1 to 48 hours to produce oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets and/or partially stripped oil palm FFB, sterilizing the oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets and/or the partially stripped oil palm FFB for a time period of between 1 to 240 minutes to produce sterilised oil palm fruitlets and/or sterilised partially stripped oil palm FFB in a temperature range of between 50°C to 180°C, stripping the sterilised partially stripped oil palm FFB to further produce sterilised oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets and empty fruit bunches, digesting the sterilized oil palm to produce digested palm fruitlets in a temperature range of between 25°C to 99.9°C, pressing the digested palm fruitlets to produce pressed palm fruits and undiluted crude palm fruit in a temperature range of between 25°C to 99.9°C, recovering the undiluted crude palm fruit oil to form recovered undiluted crude palm fruit oil, mixing the recovered undiluted crude palm fruit oil with dilution water to produce diluted crude palm fruit oil and clarifying and/or centrifuging the diluted crude palm fruit oil or the recovered undiluted crude palm fruit oil, followed by purifying and drying to produce the low-FFA crude palm fruit oil, wherein the oil extractor apparatus is a single- stage or multi-stage oil extractor apparatus, total chlorine content of the low FFA-crude palm fruit oil is in a range of between 0.5 ppm to 5 ppm, phosphorus level of the crude palm fruit oil is in a range of between 5 ppm to 20 ppm and FFA levels of the crude palm fruit oil is in a range of between 0.5% to 5%.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Above recited features of the present invention may have been referred by embodiments, some of which are illustrated in the appended drawings. The appended drawings illustrate only typical embodiments of this invention and are therefore not considered limiting of its scope as the invention may perform effectively to other equally effective embodiments.

These and other features, benefits and advantages of the present invention will become apparent by reference to the following figures: -

Figure 1 illustrates a conventional palm oil milling process;

Figure 2 illustrates the oil extractor apparatus for sterilizing, digesting and pressing oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets (single-stage oil extractor apparatus);

Figure 3 illustrates the oil extractor apparatus for sterilizing, digesting and pressing oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets (multi-stage oil extractor apparatus);

Figure 4 illustrates the process flow for producing low FFA-CPO with application of a fruit ripening composition to the oil palm FFB and via a segregating step and a stripping step, after which the oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets are processed separately by means of a multi-stage oil extractor apparatus.

Figure 5 illustrates the process flow for producing low FFA-CPO with application of a fruit ripening composition to the oil palm FFB and via a segregating step and a stripping step after which the oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets are processed separately by means of a single-stage oil extractor apparatus. Figure 6 illustrates the process flow for producing low FFA-CPO with application of a fruit ripening composition to the oil palm FFB and via a segregating step, after which the oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets are processed separately by means of a multi-stage oil extractor apparatus.

Figure 7 illustrates the process flow for producing low FFA-CPO with application of a fruit ripening composition to the oil palm FFB and via a segregating step after which the oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets are processed separately by means of a single-stage oil extractor apparatus.

Figure 8 illustrates the process flow for producing virgin palm oil with application of a fruit ripening composition to the oil palm FFB and via a segregating step after which the oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets are processed separately by means of a multi-stage oil extractor apparatus.

Figure 9 illustrates the process flow for producing virgin palm oil with application of a fruit ripening composition to the oil palm FFB and via a segregating step after which the oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets are processed separately by means of a single-stage oil extractor apparatus.

Figure 10 illustrates the process flow for producing virgin palm oil with application of a fruit ripening composition to the oil palm FFB and via a segregating step and stripping step, after which the oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets proceeds to the steps of a conventional palm oil milling process (sterilisation, digestion, pressing, desanding, separation step 1, separation step 2, purification, drying, filtration and fractionation).

Figure 11 illustrates the process flow for producing low FFA-CPO with application of a fruit ripening composition to the oil palm FFB and via a segregating step and a stripping step, after which the oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets proceeds to the steps of a conventional palm oil milling process (sterilisation, digestion, pressing, clarification, purification and drying).

Figure 12 illustrates the process flow for producing low FFA-CPO with application of a fruit ripening composition to the oil palm FFB, after which the oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets and the partially stripped oil palm FFB proceeds to the steps of sterilisation and stripping followed by conventional palm oil milling process (digestion, pressing, clarification, purification and drying). Figure 13 illustrates the percentage of oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets collected over the weight of oil palm FFB at different incubation periods (6 hours, 12 hours, 24 hours and 48 hours), C indicates control samples (without treatment) and E indicates treated samples.

Figure 14 illustrates the FFA (%) levels of the oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets collected at different incubation periods (12 hours, 24 hours and 48 hours), C indicates control samples (without treatment) and E indicates treated samples.

Figure 15 illustrates the FFA (%) levels (solid line) and percentage of oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets (bars) collected over the weight of the oil palm FFB with an incubation period of 24 hours using different application methods.

Figure 16 illustrates an oil palm FFB incubated with ethephon solution in an air-tight acrylic box for a 24-hour period.

Figure 17 illustrates the detachment (%) of oil palm fruitlets from the oil palm FFB incubated with ethephon solution with various concentrations over a 24-hour incubation period.

Figure 18 illustrates the detachment rate (%) of the oil palm fruitlets based on different oil palm FFB bunch sizes (4 categories) using ethephon salutation at concentrations of 0.5% and 0.25% for a 24-hour period.

Figure 19 illustrates the detachment percentage of treated oil palm FFB for 4 different oil palm ripeness categories ranging from unripe to over ripe bunches using ethephon composition at 0.5% concentration over a 24-hour period.

Figure 20 illustrates the readings for FFA levels, DOBI and carotene content of oil palm fruitlets after the washing step for different washing time periods.

Figure 21 illustrates total chlorine content (ppm) for and 3-MCPD content (ppm) for washed and unwashed oil palm fruitlets.

Figure 22 illustrates a “modified” storage bin used for purposes of ethephon composition treatment and incubation of oil palm FFB. Figure 23 illustrates a perforated steel mesh which is installed at the bottom of the “modified” storage bin used for purposes of ethephon composition treatment and incubation of oil palm FFB.

Figure 24 illustrates the detachment of the oil palm fruitlets for non-treated and treated oil palm FFB with ethephon composition with 0.5% concentration.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

All prior art as listed and referred to above do not specifically describe a process for producing a low FFA-CPO and/or virgin palm fruit oil using a fruit ripening composition followed by various palm oil processing means. Hence, there remains a need in the art to provide a process of producing low FFA-crude palm fruit oil and/or virgin palm fruit oil using at least one fruit ripening composition such as ethylene gas, ethylene precursors, ethylene producing agents or any combination thereof followed by various palm oil mill processing means as follows: i) layering the oil palm FFB with a fruit ripening composition, incubating the oil palm FFB in a closed space, segregating oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets and/or partially stripped oil palm FFB, stripping the partially stripped oil palm FFB to produce oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets, cleaning the oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets, processing the oil palm loose fruitlets via an oil extractor apparatus to extract undiluted crude palm oil (UDCO), recovering the UDCO, mixing the UDCO with water to produce diluted crude palm oil (DCO), clarifying and/or centrifuging the DCO or the recovered UDCO, purifying and drying to produce the low-FFA CPO; ii) layering the oil palm FFB with a fruit ripening composition, incubating the oil palm FFB in a closed space, segregating oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets and/or partially stripped oil palm FFB, cleaning the oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets, processing the oil palm loose fruitlets via an oil extractor apparatus to extract UDCO, recovering the UDCO, mixing the UDCO with water to produce DCO, clarifying and/or centrifuging the DCO or the recovered UDCO, purifying and drying to produce the low-FFA CPO; iii) layering the oil palm FFB with a fruit ripening composition, incubating the oil palm FFB in a closed space, segregating oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets and/or partially stripped oil palm FFB, stripping the partially stripped oil palm FFB to produce oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets, sterilising the oil palm fruitlets (preferably via continuous steriliser), digesting and pressing to produce UDCO, recovering the UDCO, mixing the UDCO with water to produce DCO, clarifying and/or centrifuging the DCO or the recovered UDCO, purifying and drying to produce the low-FFA CPO; iv) layering the oil palm FFB with a fruit ripening composition, incubating the oil palm FFB in a closed space, sterilising the oil palm fruitlets (preferably via continuous steriliser), stripping the partially stripped oil palm FFB to produce oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets, digesting and pressing to produce UDCO, recovering the UDCO, mixing the UDCO with water to produce DCO, clarifying and/or centrifuging the DCO or the recovered UDCO, purifying and drying to produce the low-FFA CPO; v) layering the oil palm FFB with a fruit ripening composition, incubating the oil palm FFB in a closed space, segregating oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets and/or partially stripped oil palm FFB, cleaning the oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets, processing the oil palm loose fruitlets via an oil extractor apparatus to extract crude virgin palm fruit oil, recover crude virgin palm fruit oil, undergoes desanding step, 1st separation step, 2nd separation step, purification and drying to produce virgin palm oil; and v) layering the oil palm FFB with a fruit ripening composition, incubating the oil palm FFB in a closed space, segregating oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets and/or partially stripped oil palm FFB, stripping the oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets and/or partially stripped oil palm FFB, sterilising the oil palm fruitlets (preferably via continuous steriliser), digesting and pressing to produce crude virgin palm fruit oil, recover crude virgin palm fruit oil, undergoes desanding step, 1st separation step, 2nd separation step, purification and drying to produce virgin palm oil.

Overview: Palm Oil Milline Process

In a typical palm oil milling process, several operations are involved in extracting CPO from oil palm FFB and/or oil palm loose fruitlets which are sterilisation, stripping, digestion and pressing, clarification, purification, drying and storage. Essentially, the pressing of the oil palm fruits creates a liquid which is a mixture of oil, water, cell debris, fibrous material and non-oily solids. These non-oily solids cause the mixture to be highly viscous, therefore, requiring addition of water. The addition of water causes heavy solids to settle at the bottom while the lighter oil droplets will rise to the top. In other words, the pressing of the oil palm fruits produces undiluted crude palm fruit oil (UDCO), whereby, UDCO is highly viscous. Separation of the oil from sludge of the UDCO would be difficult without the addition of water. Hence, water is added to the UDCO to dilute it which produces diluted crude palm fruit oil (DCO). The addition of water causes heavy solids to fall to the bottom while lighter oil droplets will appear at the top. Composition of DCO generally consists of oil, water, non-oily solids (i.e. sludge) and fine fibrous material. However, in some cases no water is required to be added to the UDCO and can be replaced with high speed clarification and centrifugation to recover oil from the UDCO. Essentially, clarification process is the first step to recover oil from DCO and requires dilution water to produce oil and sludge and the final step in the oil extraction process is based on centrifugal force be it decanter or centrifuge to recover oil from the sludge. The objectives of the clarification process are to separate as much oil as possible from the DCO, to recover clarified oil at minimal oil loss, for efficient separation and disposal of free water and for the separation of solid impurities. Sand and other heavy impurities are periodically drained off from the bottom of the clarifier. The wastewater from the clarifier which is the clarifier underflow is then sent to the sludge tank (storage tank). The clarified oil proceeds to the pure oil tank, whereby, the pure oil tank is used to store and maintain temperatures of the clarified oil before being sent to the purifier and vacuum dryer.

Objectives of the Present Invention

The invention in one aspect relates to a process for producing high quality CPO / low FFA- CPO by layering and incubating the oil palm FFB with a fruit ripening composition followed by segregating and cleaning steps or segregating, stripping and cleaning steps before proceeding into the oil extractor apparatus (single-stage / multi-stage) in order to obtain a low FFA-CPO.

The invention in a further aspect relates to a process for producing virgin palm oil by layering and incubating oil palm FFB with a fruit ripening composition followed by segregating and cleaning steps or segregating, stripping and cleaning steps before proceeding into the oil extractor apparatus (single-stage / multi-stage) in order to obtain a virgin palm oil.

The invention in another aspect relates to a process for producing virgin palm oil by layering and incubating the oil palm FFB with a fruit ripening composition followed by a segregating and stripping steps, sterilisation preferably via a continuous steriliser and conventional palm oil processing steps (digestion, pressing, purification and drying) to obtain a virgin palm oil.

The invention in another aspect relates to a process for producing low FFA-CPO by layering and incubating the oil palm FFB with a fruit ripening composition followed by a segregating and stripping steps, sterilisation preferably via a continuous steriliser and conventional palm oil processing steps (digestion, pressing, purification and drying) to obtain a low FFA-CPO.

The invention in another aspect relates to a process for producing low FFA-CPO by layering and incubating the oil palm FFB with a fruit ripening composition followed by sterilisation preferably via a continuous steriliser, a stripping step and conventional oil processing steps (digestion, pressing, purification and drying) to obtain a low FFA-CPO.

In an effort to maximize oil extraction (OER) by reducing oil loss (in the condensate and EFB) and to produce high quality CPO / low FFA-CPO, it is an object of the present invention to explore fruit stripping prior to sterilisation through use of plant hormones, chemicals, biochemical, enzymes or any combination thereof (such as ethylene gas, ethylene precursors, ethylene producing agents or any combination thereof) as mechanical approach via conventional means is too harsh and hence damages the oil palm fruitlets that leads to increment in FFA / production of CPO with high FFA content.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a process which includes the application of a fruit ripening composition such as an ethylene gas, ethylene precursors, ethylene producing agents or any combination thereof to the oil palm FFB prior to proceeding to the conventional palm oil milling process (for partially stripped FFB and/or oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets) to produce high quality CPO / low FFA-CPO.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide a process for dedicated processing of the oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets in the palm oil mill after the application of a fruit ripening composition such as an ethylene gas, ethylene precursors, ethylene producing agents or any combination thereof whereby the oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets will be processed without delay and/or separately (as opposed to conventional means) resulting in reduced FFA levels in the CPO as produced.

It is another object of the present invention to produce low FFA-CPO via a segregating step, a stripping step and/or an integrated oil extractor apparatus after application of the fruit ripening composition such as an ethylene gas, ethylene precursors, ethylene producing agents or any combination thereof.

It is another object of the present invention to produce virgin palm oil via a segregating step and an integrated oil extractor apparatus after application of the fruit ripening composition such as an ethylene gas, ethylene precursors, ethylene producing agents or any combination thereof.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide a cleaning step of the oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets to remove soluble particles (such as chlorides) and/or insoluble particles such as trash, dirt, stone and or sand either via dry cleaning and/or wet cleaning as it is believed that by washing the FFB and/or oil palm loose fruitlets before sterilisation, one or more 3-monochloropropane-l,2-diol (3-MCPD) precursors are reduced. These precursors (e.g. a chlorine source) are believed to be contained in contaminants (e.g. soil, trash, dirt, insects) that are carried on the surface of the FFB and/or oil palm loose fruitlets, hence, by removing these contaminants prior to oil extraction, the present process enables the production of refined palm oil with reduced content of 3-MCPD esters.

It is a further object of the present invention to produce CPO with reduced chlorine content (which are precursors to 3-MCPD) which would result in reduced 3-MCPD levels in the refined palm oil.

It is a further object of the present invention to produce virgin palm oil and its fractions (i.e. virgin palm olein and a virgin palm stearin) which are 3-MCPD free as no further refining step is required.

It is another object of the present invention to produce CPO with FFA levels as low as 0.5%.

It is another object of the present invention to produce CPO with total chlorine content as low as 0.5 ppm.

It is another object of the present invention to produce CPO with phosphorus content levels as low as 5 ppm. It is another object of the present invention to produce virgin palm oil with FFA levels as low as 0.5%.

It is yet another object of the present invention to produce virgin palm oil with total chlorine content as low as 0.5 ppm.

It is yet another object of the present invention to produce virgin palm oil with phosphorus content levels as low as 5 ppm.

Definitions

“Crude palm fruit oil” for this present invention refers to CPO (unrefined palm oil) which is oil extracted from mesocarp of an oil palm fruit. The shell of an oil palm fruit is a brown or black woody ring between the yellow flesh and white kernel. Mesocarp of an oil palm fruit refers to the yellow flesh of the oil palm fruit. CPO is semi-solid at room temperature and is reddish in colour in its unrefined form due to the presence of carotenoids and tocotrienols.

‘Yirgin palm fruit oil” of this present invention refers to unrefined palm oil extracted from mesocarp of oil palm fruit at the operating temperatures of between 55 °C to 65 °C, preferably at 60 °C, whereby the virgin palm oil, virgin pressed palm oil fraction and combinations thereof are 3-monochloropropane-l,2-diol (3-MCPD) free. The virgin palm oil can be further fractionated into a virgin palm olein and a virgin palm stearin. Virgin palm oil contains natural nutrients of carotenes (precursors to Vitamin A) and the antioxidant tocotrienols (Vitamin E). Virgin palm oil is also known as cold pressed palm oil.

Palm is generally a mixture of different fatty acids composition such as saturated, unsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids. In terms of oil quality, FFA is an important qualitative parameter and is dependent on the amount of FFA present in the mesocarp of the oil palm fruitlets. High amounts of FFA generally deteriorates the palm oil. The oil palm mesocarp contains high lipase activity that increases FFA and necessitates post harvest inactivation by heat treatment of fruit bunches. [Morcillo, et. al., 2013].

“Total chlorine” for this present invention refers to the content of chlorides in palm oil. Palm fruits are able to take up chlorine-containing compounds from the environment while still attached to the palm tree. Chlorides can be in organic form or inorganic form (from sources such as saline soils, use of ferric chloride used as coagulant in water treatment, potassium based fertilisers, ammonium chloride, weed and pest controls etc.) [Source: Mitigation of 3-MCPD and glycidyl esters within the production chain of vegetable oils especially palm oil, Lipid Technology, 2013] The formation of 3-MCPD esters requires the presence of chlorides and 3-MCPD fatty acid esters are believed to be formed predominantly during deodorisation (where the oil is heated up to more than 200°C), the last stage in refining wherein undesirable odorous and taste-bearing substances are removed. Hence, it is clear that in order to mitigate the formation of 3-MCPD esters, chloride containing compounds in the fruits should be removed from the CPO before further processing. Therefore, removing 3-MCPD precursors (i.e. chlorine) prior to oil refining stage, this will enable the production of refined palm fruit oil with reduced content of 3-MCPD esters.

“Oil extractor apparatus” for this present invention means an apparatus which can perform the sterilisation, digestion and/or pressing steps in a single, integrated and continuous approach consisting of a sterilisation unit [201], a digestion unit [202] and a pressing unit [203] and can be contained as a single compartment, can be divided into two compartments, three compartments or more. If the sterilisation unit [201], digestion unit [202] and pressing unit [203] are contained as a single compartment, diameter of the sterilisation unit, digestion unit and the pressing unit is the same across the integrated apparatus of the present invention. This said apparatus can also be divided into at least two compartments whereby the first compartment will consist of the combination of sterilisation and digestion mechanism and second compartment will consist of the combination of digestion and pressing mechanism, with two compartments having different diameters. The oil extractor can also be divided into three compartments having different diameters. The oil extractor apparatus operates in a pressure range of between 1 x 10⁵ Pa to 5 x 10⁶Pa and in a temperature range of between 61°C to 200°C to produce crude palm fruit oil and the oil extractor apparatus operates in a pressure range of between 1 x 10⁵ Pa to 5 x 10⁶ Pa and in a temperature range of between 55 °C to 65 °C, preferably at 60 °C to produce virgin palm fruit oil.

The oil extractor apparatus of present invention is a dedicated apparatus for the processing of oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets to solve the problems associated with processing FFB and oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets per conventional milling process. The oil extractor apparatus is capable of continuously sterilising, digesting and pressing oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets, however, the oil extractor apparatus of the present invention is still able to run and function in batch mode as well (if required), but it is preferable for the oil extractor apparatus to operate in a continuous mode. Dedicated processing of oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets contributes to cost reduction in the oil palm processing in terms of reduced steam consumption by at least 20% or in the range of between 20% to 50%. Reduction in steam consumption happens due to the following reasons:

• the steam is only used to sterilise the oil palm loose fruitlets when the oil palm loose fruitlets are processed separately, whereas, steam is used to cook not only the oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets but also the stalk and spikelet of the FFB in the conventional means; and

• the oil palm loose fruitlets of the present invention go through the sterilisation process simultaneously with the FFB as opposed to the conventional means whereby the oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets are processed only at the end of the milling process.

Throughput of the mill is also improved (i.e. no delay in processing of the oil palm loose fruitlets) with the present invention as conventional milling process requires additional processing time in the range of between 0.25 hours to 1.5 hours to sterilise the oil palm loose fruitlets.

In addition to the above, the oil extractor apparatus of the present invention also consists of the combination of 3 process units (sterilisation, digestion and pressing) into a single integrated and continuous apparatus which is simple and cost-effective means as opposed to conventional batch mode process.

In general, the advantages of the oil extractor apparatus are as follows:

• improvement in oil quality (i.e. production of CPO with reduced FFA levels) as the oil palm loose fruitlets will be processed in parallel to the conventional process without any waiting period in processing the oil palm loose fruitlets);

• oil loss via absorption of oil into the EFB is reduced;

• reduction in oil palm processing cost from decrease steam consumption by processing the oil palm loose fruitlets separately; • reduction in total chlorine (precursors of 3-MCPD) content in the extracted crude palm fruit oil which would result in reduced 3-MCPD levels in the refined palm oil; and

• Production of virgin palm oil with reduced FFA content and 3-MCPD free (as no further refining is required).

Overall, the use of the oil extractor apparatus of the present invention leads to improvements in the designs of mill, lowers the operating and maintenance costs and simplifies the mill operations overall.

“Single-stage oil extractor apparatus” for this present invention means one single oil extractor apparatus is being used for the present invention.

“Multi-stage oil extractor apparatus” for this present invention means more than one single oil extractor apparatus are being used for the present invention.

“Segregating” for this present invention is conducted after the steps of layering the oil palm FFB with a fruit ripening composition (i.e. pure ethylene gas and/or ethylene gas obtained from evaporation of the ethephon solution) and incubating the oil palm FFB in order to obtain more / as much oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets as possible after the incubation of the oil palm FFB before proceeding to the next steps of the palm oil milling processes. The segregating step can be done using any means possible such as mechanical segregation (any mechanical machinery which is able to segregate oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets from the oil palm FFB), conveyor system (to carry oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets and/or oil palm FFB) with grating (having holes along the conveyor system) or without grating (no holes along conveyor but oil palm loose fruitlets are collected / obtained at intersections between conveyors) , inclined loading ramp with a plate inserted on top of ramp (for loading of the oil palm fruitlets and/or oil palm FFB) with grating system to be able to trap / collect oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets under the plate placed on the ramp, siever, rotating drum (similar to a threshing system obtained in palm oil mills), vibration means, separation via difference in density (air or water), using a grate, vibration, air suction, air blowing, liquid floating, liquid sinking or any combination thereof, depending on the preference of a palm oil mill and ease of means in performing this step.

“Stripping” for this present invention means stripping the partially stripped oil palm FFB to further produce oil palm fruitlets via a rotary mechanical drum with an inclined plate and/or beater arm for a time range of between 1 minutes to 30 minutes, preferably 1 to 15 minutes and most preferred 1 to 5 minutes with rotating speed of the rotary mechanical drum in the range of between 1 rpm to 200 rpm, preferably 1 rpm to 100 rpm and most preferably 1 rpm to 20 rpm. The stripping step for this present invention is done after the segregating step or can also be done without the segregating step in a palm oil milling process.

The purpose of having a segregating step only or a segregating step together with a stripping step for the present invention is to obtain a low FFA-CPO of 1.5% and below (which can be considered as premium quality oil). The stripping step would further strip the partially stripped oil palm FFB to further produce oil palm fruitlets (to increase volume of the oil palm loose fruitlets) before proceeding to the next steps in the palm oil milhng process. The segregating step alone would not be able to fully strip of all oil palm fruitlets from the oil palm FFB. This would depend on the goals / preference of a palm oil mill with regards to producing various levels of low FFA-CPO. If the volume of oil palm loose fruitlets is increased, this would lead to improvement in oil quality as further described below.

• Dedicated processing of the oil palm loose fruitlets in the palm oil mill would produce improved oil quality if the volume of the oil palm loose fruitlets is increased after the application of a fruit ripening composition such as an ethylene gas, ethylene precursors, ethylene producing agents or any combination thereof whereby the oil palm loose fruitlets will be processed without delay (as per conventional means) resulting in reduced FFA levels in the CPO as produced.

• Fruit detachment prior to sterilisation through use of plant hormones, chemicals, biochemical, enzymes or any combination thereof (such as ethylene gas, ethylene precursors, ethylene producing agents or any combination thereof) would also result in improvement in oil quality as mechanical approach to detach the oil palm fruitlets form the oil palm FFB via conventional means is too harsh and hence damages the oil palm fruitlets which leads to increment in FFA which results in the production of CPO with high FFA content.

“Sterilisation" for this present invention means sterilisation of the oil palm loose fruitlets and/or the partially stripped oil palm FFB conducted for a time period of between 1 to 240 minutes, preferably between 5 to 120 minutes and most preferably between 20 to 90 minutes to produce sterilised fruitlets and/or sterilised partially stripped oil palm FFB in a temperature range of between 50°C to 180°C, preferably 60°C to 150°C and most preferably 95°C to 140°C. Conventional sterilisation of oil palm FFB is done via batch process, whereby the oil palm FFB is cooked in fruit-cages. High temperature is required when cooking the oil palm FFB via batch process to ensure the oil palm FFB is adequately sterilised as improper sterilisation would result in poor stripping of the fruitlets from the oil palm FFB. More than 2 sterilisers are also required to take turn to sterilise the oil palm FFB and the number of cages required would depend on the capacity of the horizontal or vertical steriliser. Hence, if the milling process is not via the oil extractor apparatus, it is preferred for the sterilisation process to be done via continuous sterilisation. The benefits of a continuous sterilisation process is that the oil palm FFB is cooked at a lower temperature (for normal production of CPO) than conventional means in a range of between 50°C to 100°C, preferably 70°C to 100°C and most preferably 90°C to 100°C which is sufficient to deactivate the lipase enzymes which causes rise in FFA levels and able to produce high quality CPO. A continuous steriliser consists of a moving conveyor to carry the oil palm FFB (layered and incubated with a fruit ripening composition) through a steam chamber whereby steam is continuously introduced to cook the oil palm FFB in a non-pressurised condition. As the oil palm FFB are placed on conveyors instead of being stacked up in cages (as per conventional means), the heat penetration into the fruitlets are much more efficient and effective, and hence the sterilisation also happens at a much shorter time in as compared to the conventional means.

“Cleaning the oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets” for this present invention means cleaning of the fruitlets to remove soluble particles (such as chlorides) and/or insoluble particles such as trash, dirt, stone and/or sand either using dry cleaning and or wet cleaning for a time period of between 1 to 60 minutes, preferably 1 to 30 minutes and most preferably 1 to 15 minutes and removal efficiency of insoluble and soluble particles is in range of between 1% to 100%, preferably 10% to 90% and most preferably 80% to 90%.

“Removal efficiency of insoluble and soluble particles” for this present invention means a calculation step of determining how much dirt (soluble and/or insoluble matters) have been removed from the cleaning step (via dry and/or wet cleaning). The % is obtained using the following formula: [Amount of particles removed / total particles x 100%].

“Digesting the oil palm fruitlets” for the present invention is conducted for a retention time period of between 1 to 240 minutes, preferably 1 to 120 minutes and most preferably 10 to 30 minutes in a temperature range of between 25°C to 99.9°C, preferably 50°C to 95°C and most preferably 80°C to 99°C to produce digested oil palm fruitlets. “Pressing of the oil palm fruitlets” for this present invention is conducted for a time period of between 1 to 60 minutes, preferably 3 to 20 minutes and most preferably 5 to 10 minutes, in a temperature range of between 25°C to 99.9°C, preferably 50°C to 95°C and most preferably 80°C to 99°C and with an hydraulic pressure range of between 1 to 120 bar, preferably (10 to 100 bar) and most preferably (30 to 70 bar) to produce UDCO with aqueous phase of between 20 wt.% to 80 wt.%, an oil phase of between 20 wt.% to 60 wt.% and a non-oily solid phase of between 0 wt.% to 10 wt.% and mixing the UDCO with dilution water to produce diluted crude palm fruit oil containing an aqueous phase of between 20 wt.% to 80 wt.%, an oil phase of between 20 wt.% to 60 wt.% and a non-oily solid phase of between 0 wt.% to 10 wt.% and clarifying and/or centrifuging the diluted crude palm fruit oil or the UDCO (no water dilution used here), followed by purifying and drying to produce the low-FFA crude palm fruit oil.

Description

According to the present invention, the harvested FFB can be delivered to a palm oil mill for centralised treatment and incubation for 24-hour period using the at least one fruit ripening composition or the harvested FFB can be treated in the oil palm estates before being delivered a palm oil mill for further processing.

In an effort to maximize oil extraction (OER) by reducing oil loss (in the condensate and EFB) and to produce high quality CPO / low FFA-CPO, the inventors explore the fruit stripping step prior to sterilisation through use of plant hormones, chemicals, biochemical, enzymes or any combination thereof (such as ethylene gas, ethylene precursors, ethylene producing agents or any combination thereof) as mechanical approach via conventional means is too harsh and damages the oil palm fruitlets which leads to the production of CPO with high FFA content.

Also, in an effort to explore mass production of high quality virgin palm oil / low FFA virgin palm oil, the inventors have explored the fruit stripping step prior to sterilisation through use of plant hormones, chemicals, biochemical, enzymes or any combination thereof (such as ethylene gas, ethylene precursors, ethylene producing agents or any combination thereof) as the present invention is able to produce high volume oil palm loose fruitlets in order to produce virgin palm fruit oil on a commercial / mass scale. Using conventional means, the oil palm loose fruitlets produced are not enough, highly oxidised and poor in quality hence not able to produce high quality virgin palm fruit oil at a commercial scale.

The inventors have surprisingly found that the present invention using at least one fruit ripening composition in combination with the series of palm oil milling processes leads to the production of high quality virgin palm oil / virgin palm oil (with reduced FFA levels) and/or high quality CPO / low FFA-CPO, as well as the reduction of formation 3-MCPD content when the crude palm fruit oil is refined (as the total chlorine content of the CPO is very much reduced) and 3-MCPD free virgin palm oil as no refining is required. This is because the present invention is able to produce high volume oil palm loose fruitlets in order to produce virgin palm fruit oil on a commercial / mass scale. Using conventional means, the oil palm loose fruitlets produced are not enough, highly oxidised and poor in quality hence not able to produce high quality virgin palm fruit oil at a commercial scale. Producing virgin palm fruit oil using FFB is not practical due to its structure as it is not viable to sterilise the FFB at low temperatures of about 60°C as it takes a very long time to do so (hence not commercially viable / practical).

Apart from the above, the inventors have also unexpectedly found that the phosphorus content of the CPO is greatly reduced, in the range of between 5 ppm to 20 ppm, preferably below 10 ppm, to as low as 5 ppm. Phosphorus content in CPO would be in the range of 10 to 30 ppm and phosphorus content serves as an indicator on the presence of phospholipids in CPO. With the increase of the food safety and security awareness, the Malaysian Palm Oil Board has recently proposed to impose a limit of phosphorus content to be below 10 ppm in CPO. Phospholipids are polar compounds and will he removed during the first refining stage, degumming.

CPO undergoes several refining steps to produce refined palm oil. Depending on whether the refined palm oil is produced by chemical (alkaline) refining or by physical refining 80% is via physical refining), these refining steps include degumming,

neutralization, bleaching and deodorisation above 200°C (chemical refining) or degumming, bleaching and deodorisation at 240-260°C (physical refining). Degumming is the first step in a physical refining process and its function is to remove gums / phosphatides (i.e. phosphorus, phospholipids) which is crucial, as the end product (refined oil) without the removal of the phosphatides would display unwanted characteristics such as undesirable flavour and colour and shortened shelf life. Degumming is then followed by the bleaching step which generally describes bleaching as the physical and chemical interaction of an oil or fat with bleaching earth to improve its quality and is essentially to removes contaminants that adversely impact the appearance and performances of crude vegetable oils.

Phosphorus content as low as 5 ppm would bring benefits such as reduce in refining cost, improve the crude palm oil quality and essentially reduces the oil losses during refining as phospholipids are emulsifier causing the oil converted emulsion when contacted with water. Additionally, food applications (especially for frying application) would require phosphorus content to be low as possible, preferably [ ] ppm or lower. Apart from that, virgin palm oil do not undergo refining process hence it is essential to keep phosphorus content as low as possible, preferably [ ] ppm or lower.

Therefore, the initiative to minimise phosphorus content at the milling stage would bring forth numerous benefits as mentioned above. The proposed series of palm oil milling processes with the use of the at least one fruit ripening composition are as follows: - Referring to Figures 4 and 5, the present invention provides a process for producing low free fatty acids (FFA)-crude palm fruit oil, the process including the steps of a. layering (101) oil palm fresh fruit bunches (FFB) with at least one fruit ripening composition such as plant hormones, chemicals, biochemical, enzymes or any combination thereof, b. incubating (102) the oil palm FFB for a time range of between 1 to 48 hours to produce oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets and/or partially stripped oil palm FFB, c. segregating (103) the oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets and/or the partially stripped oil palm FFB to produce oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets, d. stripping (104) the partially stripped oil palm FFB to further produce oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets, e. cleaning the oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets until soluble and/or insoluble particles are substantially removed via dry cleaning (105) and/or wet cleaning (106) for a time period of between 1 to 60 minutes and removal efficiency of insoluble and soluble particles is in range of between 1% to 100%, f. extracting undiluted crude palm fruit containing an aqueous phase of between aqueous phase of between 20 wt.% to 80 wt.%, an oil phase of between 20 wt.% to 60 wt.% and a non-oily solid phase of between 0 wt.% to 10 wt.% via an oil extractor apparatus (107) comprising a sterilisation unit (201), a digestion unit (202), a pressing unit (203) and a conveyor (200) to transport the oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets from the sterilisation unit (201) to the pressing unit (203), g. recovering the undiluted crude palm fruit oil to form recovered undiluted crude palm fruit oil, h. mixing the recovered undiluted crude palm fruit oil with dilution water to produce diluted crude palm fruit oil containing an aqueous phase of between 20 wt.% to 80 wt.%, an oil phase of between 20 wt.% to 60 wt.% and a non-oily solid phase of between 0 wt.% to 10 wt.% and i. clarifying and/or centrifuging the diluted crude palm fruit oil or the recovered undiluted crude palm fruit oil, followed by purifying and drying to produce the low-FFA crude palm fruit oil, wherein the oil extractor apparatus is a single-stage or multi-stage oil extractor apparatus, total chlorine content of the low FFA-crude palm fruit oil is in a range of between 0.5 ppm to 5 ppm, preferably in the range of 0.5 ppm to 3 ppm, phosphorus level of the crude palm fruit oil is in a range of between 5 ppm to 20 ppm, preferably below 10 ppm and FFA levels of the crude palm fruit oil is in a range of between 0.5% to 5%, preferably in the range of between 0.5% to 3%. Referring to Figures 6 and 7, the present invention provides A process for producing low free fatty acids (FFA)-crude palm fruit oil, the process including the steps of a. layering (101) oil palm fresh fruit bunches (FFB) with at least one fruit ripening composition such as plant hormones, chemicals, biochemical, enzymes or any combination thereof, b. incubating (102) the oil palm FFB for a time range of between 1 to 48 hours to produce oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets and/or partially stripped oil palm FFB, c. segregating (103) the oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets and or the partially stripped oil palm FFB to further produce oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets, d. cleaning the oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets until soluble and/or insoluble particles are substantially removed via dry cleaning (105) and/or wet cleaning (106) for a time period of between 1 to 60 minutes and removal efficiency of insoluble and soluble particles is in range of between 1% to 100%, e. extracting undiluted crude palm fruit oil containing an aqueous phase of between aqueous phase of between 20 wt.% to 80 wt.%, an oil phase of between 20 wt.% to 60 wt.% and a non-oily solid phase of between 0 wt.% to 10 wt.% via an oil extractor apparatus (107) comprising a sterilisation unit (201), a digestion unit (202), a pressing unit (203) and a conveyor (200) to transport the oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets from the sterilisation unit (201) to the pressing unit (203), f. recovering the undiluted crude palm fruit oil to form recovered undiluted crude palm fruit oil, g. mixing the recovered undiluted crude palm fruit oil with dilution water to produce diluted crude palm fruit oil containing an aqueous phase of between 20 wt.% to 80 wt.%, an oil phase of between 20 wt.% to 60 wt.% and a non-oily solid phase of between 0 wt.% to 10 wt.% and h. clarifying and/or centrifuging the diluted crude palm fruit oil or the recovered undiluted crude palm fruit oil, followed by purifying and drying to produce the low-FFA crude palm fruit oil, wherein the oil extractor apparatus is a single-stage or multi-stage oil extractor apparatus, total chlorine content of the low FFA-crude palm fruit oil is in a range of between 0.5 ppm to 5 ppm, preferably in the range of 0.5 ppm to 3 ppm, phosphorus level of the crude palm fruit oil is in a range of between 5 ppm to 20 ppm, preferably below 10 ppm and FFA levels of the crude palm fruit oil is in a range of between 0.5% to 5%, preferably in the range of between 0.5% to 3%.

3. Referring to Figures 8 and 9, the present invention provides a process for producing crude virgin palm fruit oil, the process including the steps of a. layering (401) oil palm fresh fruit bunches (FFB) with at least one fruit ripening composition such as plant hormones, chemicals, biochemical, enzymes or any combination thereof, b. incubating (402) the oil palm FFB for a time range of between 1 to 48 hours to produce oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets and or partially stripped oil palm FFB, c. segregating (403) the oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets and/or the partially stripped oil palm FFB to further produce oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets, d. cleaning the oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets until soluble and/or insoluble particles are substantially removed via dry cleaning (404) and/or wet cleaning (405) for a time period of between 1 to 60 minutes and removal efficiency of insoluble particles is in range of between 1% to 100% and e. extracting crude virgin palm fruit oil via an oil extractor apparatus (406) comprising a sterilisation unit (201), a digestion unit (202), a pressing unit (203) and a conveyor (200) to transport the oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets from the sterilisation unit (201) to the pressing unit (203), wherein the oil extractor apparatus is a single-stage or multi stage oil extractor apparatus, the oil extractor apparatus operates in a pressure range of between 1 x 10⁵ Pa to 5 x 10⁶ Pa and in a temperature range of between 55 °C to 65 °C, preferably at 60 °C, wherein FFA levels of the crude virgin palm fruit oil is in a range of between 0.5% to 5%, preferably between 0.5% to 3%, phosphorus level of the crude palm fruit oil is in a range of between 5 ppm to 20 ppm, preferably below 10 ppm and total chlorine content of the crude virgin palm fruit oil is in a range of between 0.5 ppm to 5 ppm, preferably in the range of between 0.5 ppm to 3 ppm.

4. Referring to Figure 10, the present invention provides a process for producing crude virgin palm fruit oil, the process including the steps of a. layering (501) oil palm fresh fruit bunches (FFB) with at least one fruit ripening composition such as plant hormones, chemicals, biochemical, enzymes or any combination thereof, b. incubating (502) the oil palm FFB for a time range of between 1 to 48 hours to produce oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets and or partially stripped oil palm FFB, c. segregating (503) the oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets and/or the partially stripped oil palm FFB to further produce oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets, d. stripping (504) the partially stripped oil palm FFB to produce oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets, e. sterilizing (505) the oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets for a time period of between 1 to 240 minutes to produce sterilised oil palm fruitlets in a temperature range of between 55°C to 65°C, preferably at 60 °C, f. digesting (506) the sterilized oil palm fruitlets for a retention time period of between 1 to 240 minutes to produce digested palm fruitlets in a temperature range of between 25°C to 99.9°C, g. pressing (507) the digested palm fruitlets for a time period of between 1 to 60 minutes to produce pressed palm fruits and crude virgin palm fruit oil in a temperature range of between 55°C to 65°C, preferably at 60°C, h. recovering the crude virgin palm fruit followed by desanding step (508), 1st separation step (509), 2nd separation step (510), purification (511) and drying (512) to produce a virgin palm fruit oil, wherein FFA levels of the crude virgin palm fruit oil is in a range of between 0.5% to 5%, preferably between 0.5% to 3%, phosphorus level of the crude palm fruit oil is in a range of between 5 ppm to 20 ppm, preferably below 10 ppm and total chlorine content of the crude virgin palm fruit oil is in a range of between 0.5 ppm to 5 ppm, preferably in the range of between 0.5 ppm to 3 ppm. Referring to Figure 11, the present invention provides a process for producing low free fatty acids (FFA)-crude palm fruit oil, the process including the steps of a. layering (301) oil palm fresh fruit bunches (FFB) with at least one fruit ripening composition such as plant hormones, chemicals, biochemical, enzymes or any combination thereof, b. incubating (302) the oil palm FFB for a time range of between 1 to 48 hours to produce oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets and/or partially stripped oil palm FFB, c. segregating (303) the oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets and/or partially stripped oil palm FFB to further produce oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets, d. stripping (304) the partially stripped oil palm FFB to produce oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets, e. sterilizing (305) the oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets for a time period of between 1 to 240 minutes to produce sterilised oil palm fruitlets in a temperature range of between 50°C to 180°C, f. digesting (306) the sterilized oil palm fruitlets for a retention time period of between 1 to 240 minutes to produce digested palm fruitlets in a temperature range of between 25°C to 99.9°C, g. pressing (307) the digested palm fruitlets for a time period of between 1 to 60 minutes to produce pressed palm fruits and undiluted crude palm fruit containing an aqueous phase of between aqueous phase of between 20 wt.% to 80 wt.%, an oil phase of between 20 wt.% to 60 wt.% and a non-oily solid phase of between 0 wt.% to 10 wt.% in a temperature range of between 25°C to 99.9°C, h. recovering the undiluted crude palm fruit oil to form recovered undiluted crude palm fruit oil, i. mixing the recovered undiluted crude palm fruit oil with dilution water to produce diluted crude palm fruit oil containing an aqueous phase of between 20 wt.% to 80 wt.%, an oil phase of between 20 wt.% to 60 wt.% and a non-oily solid phase of between 0 wt.% to 10 wt.% and j. clarifying and/or centrifuging the diluted crude palm fruit oil or the recovered undiluted crude palm fruit oil, followed by purifying and drying to produce the low-FFA crude palm fruit oil, wherein the oil extractor apparatus is a single-stage or multi-stage oil extractor apparatus, total chlorine content of the low FFA-crude palm fruit oil is in a range of between 0.5 ppm to 5 ppm, preferably in the range of 0.5 ppm to 3 ppm, phosphorus level of the crude palm fruit oil is in a range of between 5 ppm to 20 ppm, preferably below 10 ppm and FFA levels of the crude palm fruit oil is in a range of between 0.5% to 5%, preferably in the range of between 0.5% to 3%. Referring to Figure 12, the present invention provides a process for producing low free fatty acids (FFA)-crude palm fruit oil, the process including the steps of a. layering (301) oil palm fresh fruit bunches (FFB) with at least one fruit ripening composition such as plant hormones, chemicals, biochemical, enzymes or any combination thereof, b. incubating (302) the oil palm FFB for a time range of between 1 to 48 hours to produce oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets and/or partially stripped oil palm FFB, c. sterilizing (305) the oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets and/or the partially stripped oil palm FFB for a time period of between 1 to 240 minutes to produce sterilised oil palm fruitlets and/or sterilised partially stripped oil palm FFB in a temperature range of between 50°C to 180°C, d. stripping (304) the sterilised partially stripped oil palm FFB to further produce sterilised oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets and empty fruit bunches, e. digesting (306) the sterilized oil palm fruitlets for a retention time period of between 1 to 240 minutes to produce digested palm fruitlets in a temperature range of between 25°C to 99.9°C, f. pressing (307) the digested palm fruitlets for a time period of between 1 to 60 minutes to produce pressed palm fruits and undiluted crude palm fruit containing an aqueous phase of between aqueous phase of between 20 wt.% to 80 wt.%, an oil phase of between 20 wt.% to 60 wt.% and a non-oily solid phase of between 0 wt.% to 10 wt.% in a temperature range of between 25°C to 99.9°C, g. recovering the undiluted crude palm fruit oil to form recovered undiluted crude palm fruit oil, h. mixing the recovered undiluted crude palm fruit oil with dilution water to produce diluted crude palm fruit oil containing an aqueous phase of between 20 wt.% to 80 wt.%, an oil phase of between 20 wt.% to 60 wt.% and a non-oily solid phase of between 0 wt.% to 10 wt.% and i. clarifying and/or centrifuging the diluted crude palm fruit oil or the recovered undiluted crude palm fruit oil, followed by purifying and drying to produce the low-FFA crude palm fruit oil, wherein the oil extractor apparatus is a single-stage or multi-stage oil extractor apparatus, total chlorine content of the low FFA-crude palm fruit oil is in a range of between 0.5 ppm to 5 ppm, preferably in the range of 0.5 ppm to 3 ppm, phosphorus level of the crude palm fruit oil is in a range of between 5 ppm to 20 ppm, preferably below 10 ppm and FFA levels of the crude palm fruit oil is in a range of between 0.5% to 5%, preferably in the range of between 0.5% to 3%.

Fruit Ripening Composition

The producing of producing low FFA-CPO whereby the process includes the steps of layering the oil palm FFB with at least one fruit ripening composition such as plant hormones, chemicals, biochemical, enzymes or any combination thereof. After layering the oil palm FFB with the fruit ripening composition, the oil palm FFB would need to be incubated for a time range of between 1 to 48 hours, preferably 6 to 48 hours and most preferably 24 hours to produce oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets and/or partially stripped oil palm FFB. The incubation step is done in an enclosed space such as in a closed storage bin, closed container or closed chamber. The pressure of the enclosed space is in a range of 1 x 10⁵ Pa to 5 x 10⁵Pa (1 bar to 5 bar), carbon dioxide content is between 3% to 13%, preferably [ ] % to [ ] % and temperature in the range of 0°C to 150°C, preferably 10°C to 100°C and most preferably 25°C to 50°C.

The term “fruit ripening composition” for this present invention refers to an ethylene gas, ethylene precursors such as 1-aminocyclopropane-l-carboxylate (ACC), ethylene releasing agents (ethephon, CGA 13’586) or any combination thereof. Fruit ripening composition for this present invention also refers to methyl jasmonate, CGA 13’586, abscisic acid (ABA) or any combination thereof. The fruit ripening composition can be in liquid form, semi-liquid form, gaseous form, semi gaseous form, solid form, semi-solid form or any combination thereof. Gaseous form generally means pure ethylene gas and liquid form refers to ethephon whereby ethylene gas is obtained through evaporation of the ethephon composition.

Ethylene is produced from essentially all parts of higher plants, including leaves, stems, roots, flowers, fruits, tubers, and seeds. Ethylene production is regulated by a variety of developmental and environmental factors. During the life of the plant, ethylene production is induced during certain stages of growth such as germination, ripening of fruits, abscission of leaves, and senescence of flowers. Ethylene production can also be induced by a variety of external aspects such as mechanical wounding, environmental stresses, and certain chemicals including auxin and other regulators. The pathway for ethylene biosynthesis is named the Yang cycle after the scientist Shang Fa Yang who made key contributions to elucidating this pathway. [Source: Yang, S. F.; Hoffman N. E. (1984). "Ethylene biosynthesis and its regulation in higher plants". Annu. Rev. Plant Physiol. 35: 155-89. doi: 10.1146 / annurev. pp.35.060184.001103]

The chemical formula of Ethylene is C2H4. Its Ethylene (IUPAC name: ethene) is a hydrocarbon which has the formula C2H4 or H2C=CH2. Ethylene (H2C=CH2), the simplest of the organic compounds known as alkenes, which contain carbon-carbon double bonds. It is a colourless, flammable gas having a sweet taste and odour. Natural sources of ethylene include both natural gas and petroleum; it is also a naturally occurring hormone in plants, in which it inhibits growth and promotes leaf fall, and in fruits, in which it promotes ripening. [Source: https:/ / www.britannica.com/science/ethylene]

The chemical structure of ethylene is as follows:

Ethylene serves as a hormone in plants. The plant hormone ethylene is involved in many aspects of the plant life cycle, including seed germination, root hair development, root nodulation, flower senescence, abscission and fruit ripening. [Source: Plant Cell. 2002; 14 (Suppl): sl31-sl51]

Ethylene and its precursor 1-aminocyclopropane-l-carboxylate (ACC) plays a role in plant developmental, defense and symbiotic programs, hence, plays a central role in regulation of bacterial cololonization by the modulation of plant immune responses and symbiotic programmes as well as modulating several development processes such as root elongation. [Source: Ethylene and l-Aminocyclopropane-l-carboxylate (ACC) in Plant-Bacterial Interactions, Plant Microbe Interactions]

It was discovered that S-adenosyl-L-methionine (SAM) was an intermediate between methionine and ethylene during the studies of the biosynthesis pathway of ethylene. The methionine cycle of plants was found to be unique from all other organisms via the characterization of 1-aminocyclopropane-l-carboxylic acid (ACC) as the intermediate between SAM and ethylene, whereby, ACC was identified as the intermediate between SAM and ethylene. [Source: 1-aminocyclopropane-l-carboxylic acid (ACC) in plants: more than just the precursor of ethylene!, Front Plant Sci. 2014; 5: 640]

Methyl jasmonate is a volatile organic compound used in plant defense and many diverse developmental pathways such as seed germination, root growth, flowering, fruit ripening, and senescence. Methyl jasmonate is derived from jasmonic acid and the reaction is catalyzed by S-adenosyl-L-methiomne:jasmonic acid carboxyl methyltransferase

CGA 13’586 is an ethylene releasing agent with a higher pH level than ethephon, hence releasing ethylene quickly and in large amounts. [Ethylene influence on leaf and fruit detachment in ‘Manzanillo’ olive trees, Volume 4, Issue 4, Pages 337-344]

It is preferred for the fruit ripening composition to be an ethylene gas which is obtained from exogenous sources (i.e. commercially produced) and/or ethylene gas obtained from evaporation of the ethephon solution and/or ethylene produced by the ripening process of the oil palm fruits can be used for the present invention and/or a combination of all can be used for the purposes of the present invention. The fruit ripening agent can be used in combination as exogenously produced ethylene will induce endogenous ethylene to be released from the oil palm loose fruitlets, whereby ethylene gas from both sources would be absorbed by the FFB to hasten fruit detachment. It was found that there was no residue of ethephon found in extracted CPO from oil palm loose fruitlets of the present invention when using ethylene gas obtained from evaporation of the ethephon solution.

Application of the fruit ripening composition can be done via spraying, pouring, evaporation, direct injection, desorption, dispensing or any combination thereof. For purposes of the present invention: ethylene gas is obtained from ethephon solution via evaporation method or pure ethylene gas is used. “Evaporation” for the purposes of this present invention means that the ethephon composition was poured into an enclosed space such as a closed storage bin, closed container or closed chamber which contains a perforated mesh or perforated rack placed at the bottom of the closed storage bin, closed container or closed chamber for placing the oil palm FFB to ensure that there is no direct contact between the ethephon composition and the oil palm FFB. Ethephon composition is then left to evaporate to produce ethylene gas. A closed system is preferred for the purpose of this present invention to reduce or prevent loss of ethylene gas to the environment which would then reduce the contact of the ethylene gas with the oil palm fruits, hence reducing the rate of detachment of the oil palm fruitlets.

The pH range for ethephon solution used for this present invention is in the range of between 5 to 13, preferably 7 to 11 and most preferably 9.0. Evaporation of ethephon solution to ethylene gas takes place under alkaline conditions and it is found that ethephon readily decomposes into ethylene gas at pH > 9.0. pH 9.0 is preferred by the inventors as based on observations and trials done it is seen that ethylene gas is released / liberated from the ethephon composition more steadily and slower at this range.

After layering the oil palm FFB with the fruit ripening composition, the oil palm FFB would need to be incubated for a time range of between 1 to 48 hours, preferably 6 to 48 hours and most preferably 24 hours to produce oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets and/or partially stripped oil palm FFB. 24-hour period is preferred / desirable for the present invention to achieve the desired fruit detachment rate for viability and success of the present invention. A 24-hour incubation period for this present invention would enable fruit detachment to be in a range of between 19% to 34% in order for this present invention to be economically viable.

The inventors have observed that first detachment of the oil palm fruitlets to happen after 4 to 5 hours after being incubated with the ethephon composition. After which the levels of ethylene rose steadily and peaked at about 12-hours before the level of ethylene gas starts to drop after that. It is found that ethylene gas produced in an exogenous manner will induce endogenous ethylene to be released from the oil palm loose fruitlets, whereby ethylene gas from both sources would he absorbed by the FFB to hasten fruit detachment.

Concentration of ethylene sas for the purposes of the present invention

The concentration of the ethylene gas (obtained from the evaporation of ethephon composition for a 24-hour period) is as follows:-

I) a range of between 20 ppm to 2,400 ppm, preferably between [ ] ppm to [ ] ppm based on volume of the enclosed space in a range of between 150 L to 20,300 L.

More specifically, for a bin volume of:

150 L, ethephon solution used is in a range of between 0.1 L to 0.3 L, preferably 0.2 L; 380 L, ethephon solution used is in a range of between 0.4 L to 0.6 L, preferably 0.5 L;

1,000 L, ethephon solution used is in a range of between 1.2 L to 1.4 L, preferably 1.3 L; and

20,300 L, ethephon solution used is in a range of between 110 L to 130 L, preferably 120 L.

II) a range of between 625 ppm to 10,000 ppm, preferably 1,000 ppm to 5,000 ppm based on weight of FFB in a range of between 9 kg to 30 kg, preferably between 15 kg to 25 kg.

More specifically, the concentration of ethylene gas is obtained based on calculation of 10 L of ethephon solution for 1 MT of FFB.

The concentration of ethephon composition used for I) and II) above is in a range of between 0.0625 % to 1.0 %, preferably 0.25 % to 0.5 %.

The concentration of pure ethylene gas for the present invention is in a range of between 500 ppm to 2,100 ppm, preferably [ ] ppm to [ ] ppm based on the volume of the enclosed space in a range of between 150 L to [ ] L. [Future trials will be conducted whereby specific ethylene concentration will be provided based on the volume of enclosed space used in the present invention]

Carbon dioxide content of the enclosed space

The range of carbon dioxide in the enclosed space of the present invention is in a range of between 5% to 40%, preferably 15% to 25% and most preferably [ ]% to [ ]%. Carbon dioxide content in the enclosed box is determined using a carbon dioxide detector and it is preferred for the carbon dioxide content in the enclosed space to not be above [ ]% to ensure that the additional carbon dioxide does not in any way possible cause any form of suppression to the fruit detachment as several literatures have previously reported on inhibition of endogenous ethylene production by excess carbon dioxide. [De Wild et al. (2003)].

Generally, the carbon dioxide content in the enclosed space is mainly endogenously produced due to respiration of the oil palm fruitlets (post-harvest oil palm fruitlets continue with its respiration process) and carbon dioxide content from the environment is minimal / negligible (up to a max of 0.03%). It has been observed by the inventors that control FFB (without addition of ethephon solution or carbon dioxide from external sources) is able to produce up to 11% of endogenously produced carbon dioxide due to respiration.

For the purposes of the present invention, carbon dioxide from external sources was added into the enclosed space as it has been observed that the target fruit detachment rate is achieved with a carbon dioxide content in a range of between [ ]% to [ ]%, preferably 25%. [The team is further running trials on this]

Compactness of the enclosed box.

“Compactness” for the purposes of this example means how much space does the oil palm FFB occupies in the enclosed box. The more space the oil palm FFB occupies the enclosed box, the less air volume is left in the enclosed space. The inventors have observed a slight depression in the rate of fruit detachment when the enclosed space of the present invention is filled completely with FFB as compared to an enclosed space whereby only half the enclosed space was filled with FFB.

It is suspected by the inventors that a fully compact enclosed space with FFB may have more carbon dioxide content as opposed to a half compact enclosed space with FFB (due to respiration of the oil palm fruitlets), hence, possibility is linked to the suppression of the fruit detachment rate as several studies shown that elevated carbon dioxide has effects in respiratory metabolism and ethylene production in fruits [Liu et al., 2004; Rothan & Nicolas, 1994]

However, the inventors have surprisingly found that carbon dioxide concertation in a range of between 5% to 15% shows an increase in ethylene production if compared with control (without incubation with ethephon and addition of carbon dioxide gas). In the trials by the inventors, carbon dioxide was constantly supplied throughout the incubation period to eliminate the notion that carbon dioxide suppresses ethylene production by the FFB. The inventors believe that carbon dioxide and ethylene gasses do not compete for the same binding site, hence, carbon dioxide gas do not inhibit production of ethylene gas from the oil palm fruitlets. [The team is running further trials on this]

Information on the Oil Extractor Apparatus of the Present Invention Referring to Figures 2 and 3, the oil extractor apparatus of the present invention is essentially an apparatus in single-stage or multi-stages for continuously sterilising, digesting and pressing oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets, whereby the oil extractor apparatus of the present invention can be constructed to contain only 1 compartment, 2 compartments or more for the purposes of extracting oil from the oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets.

The oil extractor apparatus is an integrated apparatus for sterilising, digesting and pressing the oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets, whereby the sterilisation unit [201], digestion unit [202] and pressing unit [203] can either be contained in a single compartment or be divided into at least two compartments and is able to function in single-stage or multi-stages. The oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets are continuously transported via a conveyor from the sterilisation unit to the pressing unit. The conveyor can be a shafted or shaftless screw conveyor, preferably a shaftless conveyor. The screw conveyor can be controlled in speed range of between 0 rpm to 200 rpm, preferably between 2 rpm to 20 rpm and most preferably 5 rpm to lOrpm. The speed of the apparatus of the present invention is in the range of between 0.1 to 10 meter/minutes, preferably 0.5 to 5 meter/minutes and most preferably 0.8 to 2 meter/minutes.

The sterilisation unit [201], digestion unit [202] and pressing unit [203] of the apparatus of the present invention can he contained as a single compartment, can be divided into two compartments, three compartments or more.

If the sterilisation unit [201], digestion unit [202] and pressing unit [203] are contained as a single compartment, diameter of the sterilisation unit, digestion unit and the pressing unit is the same across the integrated apparatus of the present invention.

This said oil extractor apparatus can also be divided into at least two compartments whereby the first compartment will consist of the combination of sterilisation and digestion mechanism and second compartment will consist of the combination of digestion and pressing mechanism. For this case, the ratio of diameter between the first compartment and the second compartment is in the range of 1:1 to 10:1, preferably in the range of between 5:1 to 5:4 and most preferably in the range of between 4:1 to 4:3.

The oil extractor apparatus can also be divided into three compartments whereby the ratio of diameter between the sterilizer unit and digestion unit is in the range of 1:1 to 10:1, preferably in the range of between 5:1 to 5:4 and most preferably in the range of between 4:1 to 4:3 and the ratio of diameter between the digestion unit and pressing unit is in the range of 1:1 to 10:1, preferably in the range of between 5:1 to 5:4 and most preferably in the range of between 4:1 to 4:3.

The preferred mode for the oil extractor apparatus would be to have the apparatus of the present invention divided into two compartments, whereby, the difference in the diameter results in pressure buildup causing partial pressing and extraction of UDCO from the sterilized and partially digested oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets which is then collected from the bottom of the apparatus. This can either be done in a single-stage or multi-stage apparatus, however, it is preferred for the apparatus to be a multi-stage apparatus for increased efficiency in the extraction of CPO and/or virgin palm oil.

The most preferred mode would be for the oil extactor apparatus of the present invention to be divided into three compartments, whereby the diameter reduces from the sterilisation unit to the pressing unit, and the difference in diameter results in pressure buildup causing partial pressing and extraction of UDCO from the sterilisation unit [201], digestion unit [202] and finally the pressing unit [203] which is then collected from the bottom of the apparatus. This can either be done in a single-stage apparatus or in multistages, however, it is preferred for the apparatus to be in multi-stages for increased efficiency in the extraction of CPO and or virgin palm oil.

There is pressure buildup if diameter varies as the sterilisation unit is filled up to its maximum limits with the oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets. The oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets are fed through the hopper [204] attached with a control feeding system for substantially uniform feeding of the oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets into the sterilisation unit without being overloaded or insufficiently loaded.

Oil loss is automatically reduced if the oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets are processed separately from FFB as opposed to the conventional means, thus, the purpose for this said apparatus of the present invention. Also, the partial pressing at every stage of the apparatus with two compartments or more further increases efficiency of the oil extraction mechanism and or process. There exist outlets [206, 207, 208] at the bottom of the apparatus at every unit [201, 202, 203] to collect the crude palm fruit oil and/or virgin palm fruit oil obtained from the partial pressing, whereby the said outlets [206, 207, 208] consist of holes and strainer. The sterilisation unit [201] , digestion unit [202] and pressing unit [203] of the apparatus of the present invention whether contained as a single compartment, divided into two compartments, three compartments or more, whether a single stage or multi-stage apparatus is required to be heated up entirely when being used in a palm oil milling process at the palm oil mill.

The heating mechanism of the apparatus of the present invention can be done via direct heating and/or indirect heating. “Direct heating” for this present invention means direct steam or vapour introduction into the apparatus to the oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets via the plurality of inlets as contained in the sterilisation unit [201], digestion unit [202] and pressing unit [203]. “Indirect heating” for this present invention means when steam or vapour is indirectly used to heat up the body of the apparatus of the present invention, hence heating up the entire apparatus of the present invention for use in the palm oil milling process.

The ratio of steam to the oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets in the sterilisation unit [201], digestion unit [202] and pressing unit [203] is in the range of between 5% to 50% to the weight of the oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets, preferably in the range of between 8% to 20% to the weight of the oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets and most preferably in the range of between 10% to 18% to the weight of the oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets. Ratio of steam above 50% is not preferable as this will increase steam consumption and oxidation of the extracted oil from the said apparatus of the present invention.

The duration of sterilisation of the oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets in the sterilisation unit [201] is in the range of 1 to 240 minutes, preferably 5 to 120 minutes and most preferably 15 to 90 minutes. Duration of sterilisation of more than 240 minutes is not preferable as this will increase steam consumption and oxidation of the extracted oil from the said apparatus of the present invention.

The duration for digestion of the oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets in the digestion unit [202] is in the range of 1 to .240 minutes, preferably 1 to 120 minutes and most preferably 1 to 30 minutes. Duration of digestion of more than 240 minutes is not preferable as this will increase steam consumption and oxidation of the extracted oil from the said apparatus of the present invention. The duration of pressing of the oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets in the pressing unit [203] is in the range of 1 to 60 minutes, preferable 3 to 20 minutes and most preferably 5 to 10 minutes.

The pressing unit [203] of the apparatus of the present invention consists of a single screw pressing system to extract oil from the oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets which will then be collected from the outlets present at the bottom of the pressing unit [203], and pressed fibres are removed through separate outlets from the apparatus of the present invention. The extracted oil at this stage is known as UDCO.

The pressing of the oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets produces UDCO, which is highly viscous. Separation of the CPO from the solid and water would be difficult without the addition of water. Hence, water is added to dilute it which produces DCO and would be subjected to clarification, centrifugation, purification and finally drying to produce crude palm oil and/or virgin palm oil. However, in some cases no water is required to be added to the UDCO and can be replaced with high speed clarification and centrifugation to recover oil from the UDCO.

This apparatus of the present invention operates in temperature range of between 61°C to 200°C, preferably 80°C to 140°C and most preferably 90°C to 99°C and operates at atmospheric pressure, for the purpose of producing crude palm fruit oil. The crude palm fruit oil is selected from CPO, CPO fraction and combinations thereof.

The oil extractor apparatus operates in temperature range of between 55°C to 65°C, preferably at 60°C at atmospheric pressure, if the purpose is to produce virgin palm fruit oil. Virgin palm fruit oil is selected from virgin palm oil, virgin palm oil fraction and combinations thereof. The virgin palm oil produced will go through a filtration process and can be further fractionated to produce a virgin palm olein and a virgin palm stearin. Advantageouslsy, the virgin palm fruit oil produced according to the present invention is 3-MCPD free as no refining is required, thus, the chlorine (3-MCPD precursors) will not be converted into 3-MCPD.

The CPO produced by the oil extactor apparatus is then subjected to degumming, bleaching and deodorization to produce a refined palm fruit oil. The inventors further investigated on the content of the 3-MCPD levels in the refined palm oil and was surprised by the results that showed a decrease in the 3-MCPD levels. This prompted the inventors to further investigate on the chlorine content of the extracted crude palm fruit oil from the apparatus of the present invention. The formation of 3-MCPD esters requires the presence of chlorides and 3-MCPD fatty acid esters are believed to be formed predominantly during deodorisation (where the oil is heated up to more than 200°C), the last stage in refining wherein undesirable odorous and taste-bearing substances are removed. Hence, it is clear that in order to mitigate the formation of 3-MCPD esters, chloride containing compounds in the fruits should be removed from the CPO before further processing. Therefore, removing 3-MCPD precursors (i.e. chlorine) prior to oil refining stage, this will enable the production of refined palm fruit oil with reduced content of 3-MCPD esters.

Total chlorine content of the low FFA-CPO of this present invention is as low as 0.5ppm, preferably in the range of 0.5 ppm to 5 ppm and most preferably in the range of 0.5 ppm to 3 ppm.

FFA levels of the CPO of this present invention is as low as 0.5 %, in the range of 0.5 % to 5 %, preferably in the range of between 0.5% to 3%.

Phosphorus content of the CPO of this present invention is in a range of between 5 ppm to 20 ppm, preferably below 10 ppm, and as low as 5 ppm.

Total chlorine content of the virgin palm oil of this present invention is as low as 0.5ppm, preferably in the range of 0.5 ppm to 5 ppm and most preferably in the range of 0.5 ppm to 3 ppm.

FFA levels of the virgin palm oil of this present invention is as low as 0.5 %, preferably in the range of 0.5 % to 5 %, preferably 0.5% to 3%.

Phosphorus content of the virgin palm oil of this present invention is in a range of between 5 ppm to 20 ppm, preferably below 10 ppm, and as low as 5 ppm.

The virgin palm oil, virgin palm oil fraction or combinations thereof obtained from the present invention are 3-monochloropropane-l,2-diol (3-MCPD) free.

Commercial Preference and Use

As mentioned above, 76variations of oil palm milling processes with use of at least one fruit ripening composition with objectives of producing low-FFA CPO and/or virgin palm oil with total chlorine content of the low FFA-CPO and/or virgin palm oil in a range of between 0.5 ppm to 5 ppm, phosphorus content of the low FFA-CPO and/or virgin palm oil is in a range of between 5 ppm to 20 ppm and FFA levels of the CPO and/or virgin palm oil in a range of between 0.5% to 5% are provided by the present invention as briefly summarised in the table below.

Process to produce low-FFA CPO:

Process to produce virgin palm oil:

All variations as summarised in the two tables above produces similar / comparable results of FFA levels and total chlorine content, hence, any palm oil mill may choose process of choice depending on their preference, budget, goals and needs.

With regards to the production of low FFA-CPO, variation 3 would incur the least capital investment as minimal modification is required in the mill set up, but able to significantly improve quality of CPO produced. Variations 1 and 2 requires an oil extractor to be modified and installed in the mill, hence, there would be some costs attached for modification works at the mill. Variation 1 is preferred over variation 2 as it completely removes all the oil palm loose fruitlets from the FFB prior to the sterilisation step which results in reduction in oil loss and production of high quality CPO.

Variation 4 is relatively simple and easy to be implemented in the mill as no modification is necessary, however, the process involves sterilisation of the oil palm loose fruitlets together with the FFB, hence variations 1 to 3 is preferred over variation 4. The cleaning steps would also be a factor to consider when deciding which process variation suits a mill the best. Pertaining to the production of virgin palm oil, variation 2 requires only minimal modification to be done for the sterilisation step to produce high quality virgin palm oil.

Variation 1 requires an oil extractor to be modified and installed in the mill, hence, there would be some costs attached for modification works at the mill.

EXAMPLES Example 1

Trials on different incubation periods with respect to the application of an ethephon composition on oil palm fresh fruit bunches (FFB) to study oil fruit abscission and

FFA levels

An ethephon solution is purchased from a third-party vendor which consists of the following composition:

• Ethephon (2-chloroethylphosphonic acid) - 40%

• Absorbing polymer (plant extract) - 1.25%

• Cellulose — 0.5%

• Bactericide - 0.25%

• Chemically inert dye - 0.125%

• Vegetable oil — 0.25%

• Water — 57%

The ethephon composition used for this example is prepared as follows:

12.5mL of the ethephon solution, which has 40% ethephon concentration of is added with 987.5mL of water, and adjusted to pH 9 with 5M sodium hydroxide to obtain 1L ethephon composition with a concentration of 0.5%.

A single FFB was put into a 150L closed container / covered box (not air-tight). Approximately 200mL of ethephon composition with a concentration of 0.5% at pH 9 was sprayed onto oil palm FFB and tested for incubations periods 6, 12, 24 and 48 hours.

Percentage of the detachment of oil palm fruitlets and FFA levels were measured and recorded. The detachment of oil palm fruitlets was calculated as follows:

Fruit detachment (L/kg) = Number of fruit detached / FFB bunch weight (kg)

Method for FFA measurement is based on AOCS Official Method Ca 5a-40.

Figure 13 illustrates different incubation periods for control (oil palm FFB without application of the ethephon composition) and oil palm FFB treated with the ethephon composition of 0.5% concentration in the 150L closed container / covered box. The oil palm FFB treated with the ethephon composition showed a significant increase in the detachment of the oil palm fruitlets after 12 hours of incubation, reaching 27 oil palm loose fruitlets detached / kg FFB weight and 37 oil palm loose fruitlets detached / kg FFB weight at 48 hours for control and treated oil palm FFB, respectively. Hence, it can be seen that ethephon treated oil palm FFB resulted significantly (p< 0.05) in a higher percentage of the detachment of the oil palm fruitlets compared to untreated oil palm FFB (control) for all incubation period.

Referring to Figure 14, it can be seen that the oil palm fruitlets collected from treated FFB showed a marked reduction of free fatty acids (FFA) levels compared to oil palm fruitlets from control FFB at the various incubation periods. The incubation period of 24 hours is preferable as it is feasible and sufficient to produce the desired results with regards to high fruit detachment.

Example 2

Trials on the methods of application of ethenhon composition to the oil palm FFB with respect to the detachment of the oil nalm fruitlets and FFA levels

Ethephon composition used for this example is prepared as per Example 1 above and was added (via spraying and evaporation methods) into a closed container/storage box as per Example 1 above - containing a single oil palm FFB with bunch weight ranging from 15kg to 25kg.

Percentage of the detachment of oil palm fruitlets and FFA levels were measured and recorded. Fruit detachment was calculated using the following formula:

Fruit detachment (%) = LF detached (kg)/ FFB weight (kg) x 100%.

Oil samples were sent to a lab for analysis on FFA (%) levels.

Harvested oil palm FFB (within an hour of being harvested) was applied with the ethephon composition via spraying and evaporation methods to evaluate the efficacy of the application methods on the detachment of the oil palm fruitlets.

“Evaporation” for this example means that the ethephon composition was poured into a closed container/storage box after FFB was put onto a metal rack (4cm in height from the bottom of the closed container/storage box) in the closed container/storage box. There is no contact between the ethephon composition and the oil palm FFB. The box was covered with a lid. Ethephon composition was then left to evaporate. “Spraying method” for this example means the harvested FFB is first placed into a storage box and ethephon composition was sprayed onto the oil palm FFB before covering the storage box with a lid.

It can be seen from Figure 15 that both spraying and evaporation methods showed no significant difference with regards to the percentage of the detachment of the oil palm fruitlets (bars). It can also be observed from Figure 15 that FFA levels of the fruitlets as detached are reduced with the application of ethephon composition using both methods in comparison to the control (untreated oil palm FFB). However, no significant differences in FFA levels were observed for both application methods.

In general, the oil quality varied depending on the degree of damage on the oil palm FFB and the duration to transport the oil palm FFB to the oil mill. Evaporation method is preferred over the spraying method - to avoid direct contact of the ethephon composition to the oil palm FFB to eliminate the risk (if any) of having residual of the ethephon composition in the extracted crude palm oil.

Example 3

Trials on the decomposition / evaporation and dosage optimization of the ethephon composition for detachment of oil nalm fruitlets

Figure 16 illustrates the trial set up for the ethylene released through ethephon decomposition / evaporation in an air-tight acrylic box.

Ethephon solutions of various concentrations ranging from 0.25 % (v/v) to 1.0 % (v/v) were prepared as pec^Example 1 and were adjusted to pH 9.0 and added into the acrylic box containing a single oil palm FFB with bunch weight ranging from between 15kg to 25kg. The volume of the ethephon composition applied was fixed at 200mL for this example.

An ethylene gas detector was placed inside the box to measure the ethylene gas (in ppm) released by ethephon decomposition / evaporation for a 24-hour period. Percentage of the detachment of the oil palm fruitlets and ethylene gas released were measured and recorded.

It is observed that the detachment of the oil palm fruitlets increased with the increase of the ethephon concentration. The highest detachment of over 31% was observed when ethephon composition with 0.5% concentration was applied to the oil palm FFB as per Figure 17. Figure 17 also shows that further increasing the concentration of the ethephon composition to 1.0% did not improve further the detachment of the oil palm fruitlets. This could be due to the presence of carbon dioxide build-up during the 24-hour incubation period as there are several studies reported the inhibition of endogenous ethylene production by carbon dioxide.

Ethephon decomposition / evaporation into ethylene gas corresponding to the detachment of oil palm fruitlets during a 24-hour incubation period was also studied. At pH 9, decomposition / evaporation of ethephon composition takes place, and ethylene gas is released. Evaporation of ethephon composition also produces phosphoric acid which reduces the pH of the ethephon composition which would suppress the release of ethylene gas. Hence, the pH of the ethephon composition is increased to pH, as even after a 24- hour period, the pH of the solution will be above 4.5, around pH 6 to pH 7.

Example 4

Trials on the influence of oil nalm FFB sizes towards detachment of the oil nalrn fruitlets

Oil palm FFB of different bunch size categories (as listed below) was harvested and treated with ethephon (within 1-hour of being harvested) for a 24-hour period.

Oil palm FFB (ripe with 10 to 15 empty sockets) size categories:

- Category A: 9- 13kg

- Category B: 4- 18kg Category C: 19-23kg Category D: 24-28kg

Concentration of ethephon used for this example is as per Table 1:

Table 1 Detachment (%) is calculated using the formula as per previous examples. Referring to Figure 18, it can be observed that there is a downtrend in the detachment of the oil palm fruitlets with the increase in the size of the oil palm FFB size. It is hypothesized that the penetration of ethylene gas into the inner layer of fruitlets is more difficult in bigger bunches.

Example 5

Trials with respect to the ripeness of the oil nalm FFB in relation to the detachment of the oil palm fruitlets

Bunch ripeness is essentially categorized based on the number of fresh empty sockets on the outer layer of the bunch for this study. The objective of this study is to determine the effectiveness of ethephon composition applied to the fruit detachment % (as ripeness increased, the number of empty sockets increased).

Four categories on fruit ripeness which indicates maturity stages of oil palm FFB, ranging from unripe to overripe bunches in correlation with fruit detachment were investigated.

The categories are as follows:

• Category A — oil palm FFB with 0 empty sockets (unripe -control)

• Category B — oil palm FFB with 1 to 9 empty sockets (unripe)

• Category C — oil palm FFB with 10 to 49 empty sockets (ripe)

• Category D - oil palm FFB with more than 50 empty sockets (overripe)

Ethephon solution of 0.5 % (v/v) was used for this example and prepared as per Example 1 above and was added (via spraying and evaporation methods) into a closed container/storage box as per Example 1 above - containing 5 oil palm FFB (as control) and 5 oil palm FFB (treated with ethephon) for a 24-hour incubation period.

The detachment of oil palm fruitlets was calculated as follows:

Fruit detachment (L/kg) = Number of fruit detached / FFB bunch weight (kg)

Referring to Figure 19, unripe oil palm FFB (control) of category A showed the lowest detachment rate of 2.9%. Higher detachment rate was observed when the oil palm FFB increased in ripeness. Fruit detachment rates for unripe, ripe and overripe oil palm FFB (control) were 7.1%, 11.0% and 11.1%, respectively. Oil palm FFB treated with ethephon composition showed significantly (p<0.05) higher detachment percentage over untreated oil palm FFB (control). The detachment rate achieved for the treated oil palm FFB ranges from 19.8% to 23.6% in all ripeness categories tested as per Figure 19.

Detachment rate of treated oil palm FFB only indicated the weight percentage of fruitlets detached at the outer layer of bunches. It also observed that the inner layer of the fruitlets of the treated oil palm FFB was also detached but trapped by spikelets. There were no significant differences in the detachment rates for all four categories of oil palm FFB as treated with ethephon composition. However, higher fruit detachment rate was achieved in ripe and matured bunches (category C) post ethephon treatment.

Example 6

Pre-pilot trials on the effect of washing of the fruitlets in relation to FFA and deterioration of bleachabilitv index (DOBD

After a 24-hour incubation period with treatment with ethephon composition of 0.5% concentration, oil palm fruitlets collected after stripping via mechanical means were subjected to a washing step using an alkaline solution for different periods of (0, 3 and 6 hours - 0 hours here indicates a minimum of 4 minutes) and at a specific temperature of 60°C prior to the sterilisation step.

The steps are generally as follows:

Each FFB was stripped for 2 minutes at ambient temperature, and then the stripped fruitlets were weighed, followed by incubation for a 24- hour period and gentle stripping. Mechanical stripping of single FFB is done for 2 minutes at room temperature via a separation machine. Stripped fruitlets are collected and trash removed, clean fruitlets and partially stripped bunches are weighed and recorded. The fruitlets are washed with an alkaline solution for a minimum of 4 minutes and at a specific temperature of 60°C. Sterilised fruitlets (unwashed and washed) were then analysed for its FFA, DOBI and carotene content.

Referring to Figure 20, it was observed that there was an increase in FFA levels in stripped and unwashed fruitlets over time. FFA level increased to 3.12% and 3.20% at 3 hours and 6 hours after stripping, respectively. Immediate washing of the fruitlets after the stripping step significantly reduced by 40% of the initial FFA level in fruitlets to 1.67%. On the other hand, once fruitlets are washed and left for extended hours, an increase in FFA value is observed indicating active lipase activity. A slower increase in FFA as holding time extended to 6 hours is a good indication of how long fruitlets be kept after washing before they are sterilized for the lowest quality deterioration. Referring again to Figure 20, it can he summarized that it is best to sterilize the oil palm fruitlets immediately after they are detached, as prolonged delay will result in deterioration of the extracted oil (CPO) in respect to FFA and DOBI. Hence it can be summarized that washing of the fruitlets not only reduces FFA levels of the stripped fruitlets, but also improves other quality parameters such as DOBI.

Example 7 Pre-pilot trials on the effect of washing of the stripped fruitlets in relation to total chlorine and 3-MCPD content

After a 24-hour incubation period with treatment with ethephon composition of concentration of 0.5% (v/v), oil palm fruitlets collected from 10 oil palm FFB after stripping step (via mechanical stripping means) were subjected to a washing step using an alkaline base solution, as per Example 6.

Refining conditions at the refinery are as per Table 2:

Table 2

Analysis of 3-MCPD in refined oil was determined using GC-MS based on AOCS Official Method Cd 29a- 13. The extracted oil was tested for its 3-MCPD and total chlorine content in the extracted oil (CPO). Referring to Figure 21, it was observed that there was a reduction of total chlorine (TC) in the extracted oil (CPO) after the washing step from 2.19 ppm to 0.73 ppm, which is also reflective of the 3-MCPD values obtained from the refined, bleached and deodorized palm oil at 1.78 ppm and 0.94 ppm respectively.

Example 8

Pilot-scale trials conducted in 2 oil nalm estates and mills in Selangor region of Malaysia

Pilot-scale trials were conducted in 2 oil palm estates and mill, whereby, oil palm FFB were used and stored in storage bins weighing 8MT, each as per Figure 22.

The oil palm FFB were harvested and put in the storage bin (within 3 hours of being harvested) and treated with ethephon composition with the concentration of 0.5% (prepared as per Example 1 above) poured through an inlet pipe into the storage bin. The volume of the ethephon composition is based on bin size — for example, 1 MT bin uses 10L volume of ethephon composition, and 8MT bin uses 80L volume of ethephon composition. 120L of ethephon composition was used for these trials.

Harvested oil palm FFB are loaded into a “modified” storage bin as per Figures 22 and 23 and weighed using the weigh-bridge at the oil palm estate. Perforated steel mesh is installed at the bottom of the bin (as per Figure 23) is to prevent oil palm FFB from being in contact with the ethephon composition poured into the storage bin. The ethephon composition flows into and out from the storage bin via inlet and outlet pipes installed in the “modified” storage bin. The bin is then covered with canvas, and ethephon composition is left to evaporate for naturally. Throughout the incubation period, there is no contact between the oil palm FFB and the ethephon composition. Canvas is used to cover the storage bin to provide an enclosed environment (to trap the ethylene gas released from the evaporation of the ethephon composition) as the detachment process works better in an enclosed space, as due to evaporation of ethephon composition ethylene gas is released.

Process conditions (for ethephon composition) are per Table 3.

Table 3

Referring to Figure 24, it can be observed that the detachment of the fruitlets after the 24- hour period of the treated oil palm FFB was above 30 loose fruits / oil palm FFB (% w/w). In contrast, approximately only 5% of fruitlets were detached in non-treated oil palm FFB after the 24-hour incubation period.

Further, the oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets (with and without treatment with ethephon composition) after sterilisation process were collected to undergo FFA content analysis for comparison are shown in Table 4.

Table 4 It can be summarized that the ethephon treated samples exhibit lower FFA (%) content as compared to non-treated FFB.

Example 9 Analytical characterization of virgin palm oil and virgin palm olein extracted from oil fruitlets treated with the ethephon composition For the preparation of 1L ethephon composition with a concentration of 0.5%, 12.5mL of the ethephon stock solution with a concentration of 40% was added with 987.5mL of water. Then, the pH was adjusted to 9 with 5M sodium hydroxide. 10 FFBs were incubated overnight in 100-gallon poly tank with 500mL of 0.5% ethephon at pH 9.

Virgin oil was extracted from oil palm loose fruitlets collected from three different sources: estate, mill and ethephon treated fruit detachment process. To produce virgin palm oil, 15 kilograms of oil palm loose fruitlets were washed at ambient temperature by soaking them in water and swirled around manually for 5 minutes.

The ratio of water to oil palm loose fruitlets is 3:2. After cleaning, the oil palm loose fruitlets were heated at 60°C for 1 hour at atmospheric pressure. The cooked oil palm loose fruitlets were then subjected to digestion (< 60°C, 30 mins), pressing (< 60°C, 10-15 mins) and centrifugation (4,500 rpm, 5 mins). Afterwards, the extracted oil was fractionated to obtain virgin palm olein.

Overall, it can be summarized from the table below that all extracted virgin palm oils and oleins achieved standard CPO specification. Virgin palm oil and olein extracted ethephon treated fruitlets showed better quality than loose fruits collected from estate and mill in term of free fatty acid content without affecting other characteristics fisted in Table 5.

Table 5

A - Oil palm loose fruitlets collected from the palm oil mill B - Oil palm loose fruitlets collected from the oil palm estates

C - Oil palm loose fruitlets detached from FFB after a 24-hour incubation period with ethephon composition at 0.5 % concentration in a covered / storage bin

Example 10

Composition of virgin palm oil and olein extracted from oil palm fruitlets treated with ethephon composition

The virgin palm oils and oleins extracted as described in Example 9 were subjected to triglycerides, diglycerides, monoglycerides, FFA content, fatty acid composition and solid fat content analysis. Table 6 demonstrates that all extracted virgin palm oils and oleins achieved standard specification for triglycerides, diglycerides, monoglycerides and FFA content. Virgin palm oils extracted from ethephon treated oil palm loose fruitlets contained slightly higher triglycerides and lower diglycerides as well as lower FFA content than virgin palm oils extracted from oil palm loose fruitlets obtained from oil palm estates and palm oil mills. There were no significant differences observed on the fatty acid composition of virgin palm oils extracted from 3 different sources; estate, mill and oil palm fruitlets treated with the ethephon composition (Table 7). Table 8 shows that virgin palm oil extracted from ethephon treated oil palm loose fruitlets contained higher solid fat at 20°C as compared to virgin palm oils extracted fruitlets obtained from oil palm estate and palm oil mill. However, most of the solid fat could be removed through fractionation as shown by lower solid fat content in virgin palm oleins (Table 8). In summary, fruitlets produced via ethephon treatment produced virgin palm oil with lower FFA and higher TAG content without affecting its fatty acid composition.

Table 7

Fatty acid composition of virgin palm oils and oleins. Observed value for crude palm oil and olein are based on Malaysian Standard (MS) 814:2007 and MS 816:2007, respectively.

Table 8

Solid fat content of virgin palm oils and oleins. Certified value for crude palm oil and olein is based on MPOB palm oil standard reference materials for the determination of solid fat content.

Summary From the above description, it can be proven that the inventors have surprisingly found that the present invention using at least one fruit ripening composition in combination with the series of palm oil milling processes leads to the production of virgin palm oil (with reduced FFA levels) and/or low FFA-CPO as well as the reduction of formation 3-MCPD content when the crude palm fruit oil is refined (as the total chlorine content of the CPO is very much reduced) and 3-MCPD free virgin palm oil as no refining is required. This is because the present invention is able to produce high volume oil palm loose fruitlets in order to produce virgin palm fruit oil on a commercial / mass scale. Using conventional means, the oil palm loose fruitlets produced are not enough, highly oxidised and poor in quality hence not able to produce high quality virgin palm fruit oil at a commercial scale. Producing virgin palm fruit oil using FFB is not practical due to its structure as it is not viable to sterilise the FFB at low temperatures of about 60°C as it a very long time to do so.

The present invention can be seen as a breakthrough as it allows constant supply of good quality oil palm loose fruitlets for further processing at the oil palm mills to produce high quality CPO and/or virgin palm oil, specifically for mass production of virgin palm oil.

It can be appreciated that the present invention provides a means to produce a) CPO with reduced chlorine content (which are precursors to 3-MCPD) which would result in reduced 3-MCPD levels in the refined palm fruit oil, b) virgin palm oil and its fractions (i.e. virgin palm olein and a virgin palm stearin) which are 3-MCPD free as no further refining step is required, c) to produce CPO with FFA levels as low as 0.5%, d) virgin palm oil with FFA levels as low as 0.5% and/or e) phosphorus content of the CPO and/or virgin palm oil as low as 5 ppm.

Further it can be appreciated that the parameters for the present invention are not obvious for a person skilled in the art and have been determined by the inventors based on numerous trials conducted observations discussions and combined expertise which would not be able to be determined without much efforts and analysis or by just reviewing and reading all the publications as fisted in the ‘Background’ section above.

While the present invention is described herein by way of example using illustrative drawings and embodiments, it should be understood that the detailed description is not intended to limit the invention to embodiments of drawing or drawings described and are not intended to limit the invention to the particular form disclosed but in contrary the invention is to cover all modifications, equivalents and alternatives falling within the scope of the present invention.

Terminology and phraseology used herein is solely used for descriptive purposes and is not intended as limiting in scope. The words such as “including”, “comprising”, “having”, “containing” or “involving” and other variations is intended to be broad and cover the subject matter as described including equivalents and additional subject matter not recited such as other components or steps.

The present invention is described herein by various embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawing wherein reference numerals used in the accompanying drawing correspond to the features through the description. However, the present invention may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to embodiments set forth herein. Therefore, embodiments are provided so that this disclosure would be thorough and complete and will fully convey the scope of invention to those skilled in the art. Numeric values and ranges and materials as provided in the detailed description are to be treated as examples only and are not intended to limit the scope of the claims of the present invention.

Various modifications to these embodiments as described herein are apparent to those skilled in the art from the description and the accompanying drawings. The description is not intended to be limited to these embodiments as shown with the accompanying drawings but is to provide the broadest scope possible as consistent with the novel and inventive features disclosed. Accordingly, the invention is anticipated to hold on to all other such alternatives, modifications and variations that fall within the scope of the present invention and appended claims.

Claims

1. A process for producing low free fatty acids (FFA)-crude palm fruit oil, the process including the steps of: a. layering (101) oil palm fresh fruit bunches (FFB) with at least one fruit ripening composition such as plant hormones, chemicals, biochemical, enzymes or any combination thereof; b. incubating (102) the oil palm FFB for a time range of between 1 to 48 hours to produce oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets and/or partially stripped oil palm FFB; c. segregating (103) the oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets and/or the partially stripped oil palm FFB to produce oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets; d. stripping (104) the partially stripped oil palm FFB to further produce oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets; e. cleaning the oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets until soluble and/or insoluble particles are substantially removed via dry cleaning (105) and/or wet cleaning (106) for a time period of between 1 to 60 minutes and removal efficiency of insoluble and soluble particles is in range of between 1% to 100%; f. extracting undiluted crude palm fruit containing an aqueous phase of between 20 wt.% to 60 wt.%, oil phase of between 30 wt.% to 70 wt.% and non-oily solid phase of between 0 wt.% to 10 wt.% via an oil extractor apparatus (107) comprising a sterilisation unit (201), a digestion unit (202), a pressing unit (203) and a conveyor (200) to transport the oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets from the sterilisation unit (201) to the pressing unit (203); g. recovering the undiluted crude palm fruit oil to form recovered undiluted crude palm fruit oil; h. mixing the recovered undiluted crude palm fruit oil with dilution water to produce diluted crude palm fruit oil containing an aqueous phase of between 20 wt.% to 80 wt.%, an oil phase of between 20 wt.% to 60 wt.% and a non-oily solid phase of between 0 wt.% to 10 wt.%; and

1. clarifying and/or centrifuging the diluted crude palm fruit oil or the recovered undiluted crude palm fruit oil, followed by purifying and drying to produce the low-FFA crude palm fruit oil, wherein the oil extractor apparatus is a single-stage or multi-stage oil extractor apparatus; total chlorine content of the low FFA-crude palm fruit oil is in a range of between 0.5 ppm to 5 ppm; phosphorus level of the crude palm fruit oil is in a range of between 5 ppm to 20 ppm; and FFA levels of the crude palm fruit oil is in a range of between 0.5% to 5%.

2. The process according to Claim 1, wherein the at least one fruit ripening composition of step a. is in liquid form, semi-liquid form, gaseous form, semi gaseous form, solid form, semi-solid form or any combination thereof.

3. The process according to Claims 1 to 2, wherein step a. is done via spraying, pouring, evaporation, direct injection, desorption, dispensing or any combination thereof.

4. The process according to Claims 1 to 3, wherein the at least one fruit ripening composition comprises an ethylene gas, ethylene precursors, ethylene producing agents or any combination thereof.

5. The process according to Claim 4, wherein the at least one fruit ripening composition is an ethylene gas.

6. The process according to Claim 5, wherein the ethylene gas is from exogenous sources, endogenously produced or a combination of both.

7. The process according to Claims 1 to 6, wherein the at least one fruit ripening composition is further used in combination with a second fruit ripening composition such as methyl jasmonate, CGA 13’586, abscisic acid (ABA) or any combination thereof.

8. The process according to Claim 1, wherein step b. is done in an enclosed space such as in a closed storage bin, closed container, closed chamber or any combination thereof.

9. The process according to Claim 8, wherein pressure of the enclosed space is in a range of 1 x 10⁵ Pa to 5 x 10⁵Pa (1 bar to 5 bar), carbon dioxide content is between 3% to 13% and temperature in the range of 0 °C to 150 °C.

10. The process according to Claims 4 to 9, wherein concentration of the ethylene gas is in a range of between 20 ppm to 2,400 ppm based on volume of the enclosed space in a range of between 150 L to 20,300 L or 625 ppm to 10,000 ppm based on weight of FFB in a range of between 9 kg to 30 kg.

11. The process according to Claim 1, wherein step c. is done via methods such as mechanical segregation, conveyor system with or without grating, inclined loading ramp with a plate inserted on top of ramp with grating system, siever, rotating drum, vibration means, separation via difference in density (air or water), using a grate, vibration, air suction, air blowing, liquid floating, liquid sinking or any combination thereof.

12. The process according to Claim 1, wherein step d. is done via a rotary mechanical drum with an inclined plate and or beater arm for a time range of between 1 to 30 minutes with the rotating speed pf the rotary mechanical drum in the range of between 1 to 200 rpm.

13. The process according to Claim 1, wherein the dry cleaning (105) of step e. is done by grating along a conveyor system transporting the oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets blowing and/or suction with a fan, vibration mechanism through the integrated oil extractor apparatus, using rotation drum with grate and/or holes, siever, and or mill thresher or any combination thereof.

14. The process according to Claim 1, wherein the wet cleaning (106) of step e. is done by washing of the oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets with water via any means such as submersion, sprinkling, spraying or any combination thereof in the temperature range of between 20 °C and 99.9 °C.

15. The process according to Claim 14, wherein the water is normal processed water, distilled water, reverse osmosis water, effluent treatment plant water, any type of water with the pH levels of between pH 5 to pH 10 (preferably between pH 7 to pH 8.5), biologically treated discharge water having a total alkalinity of 1,000-10,000 mg calcium carbonate (CaC03) per litre or any combination thereof.

16. The process according to Claim 1, wherein step f. is a continuous or batch process, preferably a continuous process.

17. The process according to Claim 1, wherein the sterilisation unit (201) comprises a hopper (204) for entry inlet of the oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets, a plurality of inlets (205) for a direct and/or indirect steam introduction and a first outlet (206) to remove the undiluted crude palm fruit oil from bottom end of the sterilisation unit (201), the digestion unit (202) consists of a plurality of inlets (205) for a direct and/or indirect steam introduction and a second outlet (207) to remove the undiluted crude palm fruit oil from bottom end of the digestion unit (202) and the pressing unit (203) consists of a plurality of inlets (205) for a direct and/or indirect steam introduction and a third outlet (208) to remove the undiluted crude palm fruit oil from bottom end of the pressing unit (203).

18. The process according to Claim 17, wherein the pressing unit (203) of the single- stage oil extractor apparatus is to press the oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets to produce the undiluted crude palm fruit oil and partially pressed cake or the pressing unit (203) of the multi-stage oil extractor apparatus is to press the oil palm fruitlets to produce the undiluted crude palm fruit oil and press cake.

19. The process according to Claims 17 to 18, the partially pressed cake is recovered, digested (111) and pressed (112) to further produce undiluted crude palm fruit oil, whereby the undiluted crude palm fruit oil is recovered and mixed with dilution water (116) to produce diluted crude palm fruit oil and further clarified (113) and/or centrifuged, purified (114) and dried (115) to produce the low FFA-crude palm fruit oil or the undiluted crude palm fruit oil is recovered and further clarified (113) and/or centrifuged, purified (114) and dried (115) to produce the low FFA-crude palm fruit oil.

20. The process according to Claim 1, wherein the sterilisation unit (201), digestion unit (202) and pressing unit (203) are contained as a single compartment having a same diameter or the sterilisation unit (201), digestion unit (202) and pressing unit (203) are divided into two compartments, whereby ratio of diameter between a first compartment and a second compartment is in a range of 1:1 to 10:1, preferably in the range of between 5:1 to 5:4 and most preferably in the range of between 4:1 to 4:3 or the sterilisation unit (201), digestion unit (202) and pressing unit (203) are divided into three compartments, whereby ratio of diameter between the sterihsation unit and digestion unit is in range of 1:1 to 10:1, preferably in a range of between 5:1 to 5:4 and most preferably in a range of between 4:1 to 4:3, ratio of diameter between the digestion unit and pressing unit is in a range of 1:1 to 10:1, preferably in a range of between 5:1 to 5:4 and most preferably in a range of between 4:1 to 4:3.

21. The process according to Claim 20, wherein the sterihsation of the oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets in the sterihsation unit (201) is in a range of between 1 minute to 240 minutes, the digestion of the oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets in the digestion unit (202) is in a range of between 1 to 240 minutes and the pressing of the oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets in the pressing unit (203) is in a range of between 1 to 60 minutes with a hydraulic pressure during the pressing of the oil palm fruitlets is of between 1 x 10⁶ Pa to 100 x 10⁶ Pa, 5 x 10⁶ Pa to 50 x 10⁶ Pa.

22. The process according to Claim 1, wherein the oil extractor apparatus operates in a pressure range of between 1 x 10⁵ Pa to 5 x 10⁶Pa and in a temperature range of between 61°C to 200°C.

23. The process according to Claims 1 to 22, wherein the crude palm fruit oil is selected from crude palm oil, crude palm oil fraction or any combination thereof.

24. A process for producing low free fatty acids (FFA)-crude palm fruit oil, the process including the steps of: a. layering (101) oil palm fresh fruit bunches (FFB) with at least one fruit ripening composition such as plant hormones, chemicals, biochemical, enzymes or any combination thereof; b. incubating (102) the oil palm FFB for a time range of between 1 to 48 hours to produce oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets and/or partially stripped oil palm FFB; c. segregating (103) the oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets and/or the partially stripped oil palm FFB to further produce oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets; d. cleaning the oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets until soluble and/or insoluble particles are substantially removed via dry cleaning (105) and/or wet cleaning (106) for a time period of between 1 to 60 minutes and removal efficiency of insoluble and soluble particles is in range of between 1% to 100%; e. extracting undiluted crude palm fruit oil containing an aqueous phase of between 20 wt.% to 80 wt.%, an oil phase of between 20 wt.% to 60 wt.% and a non-oily solid phase of between 0 wt.% to 10 wt.%; via an oil extractor apparatus (107) comprising a sterilisation unit (201), a digestion unit (202), a pressing unit (203) and a conveyor (200) to transport the oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets from the sterilisation unit (201) to the pressing unit (203); f. recovering the undiluted crude palm fruit oil to form recovered undiluted crude palm fruit oil; g. mixing the recovered undiluted crude palm fruit oil with dilution water to produce diluted crude palm fruit oil containing an aqueous phase of between 20 wt.% to 80 wt.%, an oil phase of between 20 wt.% to 60 wt.% and a non-oily solid phase of between 0 wt.% to 10 wt.%; and h. clarifying and/or centrifuging the diluted crude palm fruit oil or the recovered undiluted crude palm fruit oil, followed by purifying and drying to produce the low-FFA crude palm fruit oil, wherein the oil extractor apparatus is a single-stage or multi-stage oil extractor apparatus; total chlorine content of the low FFA-crude palm fruit oil is in a range of between 0.5 ppm to 5 ppm; phosphorus level of the crude palm fruit oil is in a range of between 5 ppm to 20 ppm; and

FFA levels of the crude palm fruit oil is in a range of between 0.5% to 5%.

25. The process according to Claim 24, wherein the at least one fruit ripening composition of step a. is in liquid form, semi- liquid form, gaseous form, semi gaseous form, solid form, semi-solid form or any combination thereof.

26. The process according to Claims 24 to 25, wherein step a. is done via spraying, pouring, evaporation, direct injection, desorption, dispensing or any combination thereof.

27. The process according to Claims 24 to 26, wherein the at least one fruit ripening composition comprises an ethylene gas, ethylene precursors, ethylene producing agents or any combination thereof.

28. The process according to Claim 27, wherein the at least one fruit ripening composition is an ethylene gas.

29. The process according to Claim 28, wherein the ethylene gas is from exogenous sources, endogenously produced or a combination of both.

30. The process according to Claims 24 to 29, wherein the at least one fruit ripening composition is further used in combination with a second fruit ripening composition such as methyl jasmonate, CGA 13’586, abscisic acid (ABA) or any combination thereof.

31. The process according to Claim 24, wherein step b. is done in an enclosed space such as in a closed storage bin, closed container, closed chamber or any combination thereof.

32. The process according to Claim 31, wherein pressure of the enclosed space is in a range of 1 x 10⁵ Pa to 5 x 10^s Pa (1 bar to 5 bar), carbon dioxide content is between 3% to 13% and temperature in the range of 0 °C to 150 °C.

33. The process according to Claims 27 to 32, wherein concentration of the ethylene gas is in a range of between 20 ppm to 2,400 ppm based on volume of the enclosed space in a range of between 150 L to 20,300 L or 625 ppm to 10,000 ppm based on weight of FFB in a range of between 9 kg to 30 kg.

34. The process according to Claim 24, wherein step c. is done via methods such as mechanical segregation, conveyor system with or without grating, inclined loading ramp with a plate inserted on top of ramp with grating system, siever, rotating drum, vibration means, separation via difference in density (air or water), using a grate, vibration, air suction, air blowing, liquid floating, liquid sinking or any combination thereof.

35. The process according to Claim 24, wherein the dry cleaning (105) of step d. is done by grating along a conveyor system transporting the oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets, blowing and/or suction with a fan, vibration mechanism through the integrated oil extractor apparatus, using rotation drum with grate and/or holes, siever, and/or mill thresher or any combination thereof.

36. The process according to Claim 24, wherein the wet cleaning (106) of step d. is done by washing of the oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets with water via any means such as submersion, sprinkling, spraying or any combination thereof in the temperature range of between 20 °C and 99.9 °C.

37. The process according to Claim 36, wherein the water is normal processed water, distilled water, reverse osmosis water, effluent treatment plant water, any type of water with the pH levels of between pH 5 to pH 10 (preferably between pH 7 to pH 8.5), biologically treated discharge water having a total alkalinity of 1,000-10,000 mg calcium carbonate (CaC03) per litre or any combination thereof.

38. The process according to Claim 24, wherein step e. is a continuous or batch process, preferably a continuous process.

39. The process according to Claim 24, wherein the sterilisation unit (201) comprises a hopper (204) for entry inlet of the oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets, a plurality of inlets (205) for a direct and/or indirect steam introduction and a first outlet (206) to remove the undiluted crude palm fruit oil from bottom end of the sterilisation unit (201), the digestion unit (202) consists of a plurality of inlets (205) for a direct and/or indirect steam introduction and a second outlet (207) to remove the undiluted crude palm fruit oil from bottom end of the digestion unit (202) and the pressing unit (203) consists of a plurality of inlets (205) for a direct and/or indirect steam introduction and a third outlet (208) to remove the undiluted crude palm fruit oil from bottom end of the pressing unit (203).

40. The process according to Claim 24, wherein the pressing unit (203) of the single- stage oil extractor apparatus is to press the oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets to produce the undiluted crude palm fruit oil and partially pressed cake or the pressing unit (203) of the multi-stage oil extractor apparatus is to press the oil palm fruitlets to produce the undiluted crude palm fruit oil and press cake.

41. The process according to Claims 39 to 40, the partially pressed cake is recovered, digested (111) and pressed (112) to further produce undiluted crude palm fruit oil, whereby the undiluted crude palm fruit oil is recovered and mixed with dilution water (116) to produce diluted crude palm fruit oil and further clarified (113) and/or centrifuged, purified (114) and dried (115) to produce the low FFA-crude palm fruit oil or the undiluted crude palm fruit oil is recovered and further clarified (113) and/or centrifuged, purified (114) and dried (115) to produce the low FFA-crude palm fruit oil.

42. The process according to Claim 24, wherein the sterilisation unit (201), digestion unit (202) and pressing unit (203) are contained as a single compartment having a same diameter or the sterilisation unit (201), digestion unit (202) and pressing unit (203) are divided into two compartments, whereby ratio of diameter between a first compartment and a second compartment is in a range of 1:1 to 10:1, preferably in the range of between 5:1 to 5:4 and most preferably in the range of between 4:1 to 4:3 or the sterilisation unit (201), digestion unit (202) and pressing unit (203) are divided into three compartments, whereby ratio of diameter between the sterilisation unit and digestion unit is in range of 1:1 to 10:1, preferably in a range of between 5:1 to 5:4 and most preferably in a range of between 4:1 to 4:3, ratio of diameter between the digestion unit and pressing unit is in a range of 1:1 to 10:1, preferably in a range of between 5:1 to 5:4 and most preferably in a range of between 4:1 to 4:3.

43. The process according to Claim 24, wherein the sterilisation of the oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets in the sterilisation unit (201) is in a range of between 1 minute to 240 minutes, the digestion of the oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets in the digestion unit (202) is in a range of between 1 to 240 minutes and the pressing of the oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets in the pressing unit (203) is in a range of between 1 to 60 minutes with a hydraulic pressure during the pressing of the oil palm fruitlets is of between 1 x 10⁶ Pa to 100 x 10⁶Pa, 5 x 10⁶ Pa to 50 x 10⁶ Pa.

44. The process according to Claim 24, wherein the oil extractor apparatus operates in a pressure range of between 1 x 10⁵ Pa to 5 x 10⁶Pa and in a temperature range of between 61°C to 200°C.

45. The process according to Claims 24 to 44, wherein the crude palm fruit oil is selected from crude palm oil, crude palm oil fraction or any combination thereof.

46. A process for producing crude virgin palm fruit oil, the process including the steps of: a. layering (401) oil palm fresh fruit bunches (FFB) with at least one fruit ripening composition such as plant hormones, chemicals, biochemical, enzymes or any combination thereof; b. incubating (402) the oil palm FFB for a time range of between 1 to 48 hours to produce oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets and or partially stripped oil palm FFB; c. segregating (403) the oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets and/or the partially stripped oil palm FFB to further produce oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets; d. cleaning the oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets until soluble and/or insoluble particles are substantially removed via dry cleaning (404) and/or wet cleaning (405) for a time period of between 1 to 60 minutes and removal efficiency of insoluble and soluble particles is in range of between 1% to 100%; and e. extracting crude virgin palm fruit oil via an oil extractor apparatus (406) comprising a sterilisation unit (201), a digestion unit (202), a pressing unit (203) and a conveyor (200) to transport the oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets from the sterilisation unit (201) to the pressing unit (203), wherein the oil extractor apparatus is a single-stage or multi-stage oil extractor apparatus; the oil extractor apparatus operates in a pressure range of between 1 x 10⁵ Pa to 5 x 10⁶ Pa and in a temperature range of between 55 °C to 65 °C, preferably at 60 °C;

FFA levels of the crude virgin palm fruit oil is in a range of between 0.5 % to 5 %; phosphorus level of the crude virgin palm fruit oil is in a range of between 5 ppm to 20 ppm; and total chlorine content of the crude virgin palm fruit oil is in a range of between 0.5 ppm to 5 ppm.

47. The process according to Claim 46, wherein the at least one fruit ripening composition of step a. is in liquid form, semi-liquid form, gaseous form, semi gaseous form, solid form, semi-solid form or any combination thereof.

48. The process according to Claim 46, wherein step a. is done via spraying, pouring, evaporation, direct injection, dispensing or any combination thereof.

49. The process according to Claims 46 to 48, wherein the at least one fruit ripening composition comprises an ethylene gas, ethylene precursors, ethylene producing agents or any combination thereof.

50. The process according to Claim 49, wherein the at least one fruit ripening composition is an ethylene gas.

51. The process according to Claim 50, wherein the ethylene gas is from exogenous sources, endogenously produced or a combination of both.

52. The process according to Claims 46 to 51, wherein the at least one fruit ripening composition is further used in combination with a second fruit ripening composition such as methyl jasmonate, CGA 13’586, abscisic acid (ABA) or any combination thereof.

53. The process according to Claim 46 wherein step b. is done in an enclosed space such as in a closed storage bin, closed container, closed chamber or any combination thereof.

54. The process according to Claim 53, wherein pressure of the enclosed space is in a range of 1 x 10⁵ Pa to 5 x 10⁶Pa (1 bar to 5 bar), carbon dioxide content is between 3% to 13% and temperature in the range of 0 °C to 150 °C.

55. The process according to Claims 50 to 54, wherein concentration of the ethylene gas is in a range of between 20 ppm to 2,400 ppm based on volume of the enclosed space in a range of between 150 L to 20,300 L or 625 ppm to 10,000 ppm based on weight of FFB in a range of between 9 kg to 30 kg.

56. The process according to Claim 46, wherein step c. is done via methods such as mechanical segregation, conveyor system with or without grating, inclined loading ramp with a plate inserted on top of ramp with grating system, siever, rotating drum, vibration means, separation via difference in density (air or water), using a grate, vibration, air suction, air blowing, liquid floating, liquid sinking or any combination thereof.

57. The process according to Claim 46, wherein the dry cleaning (404) of step d. refers to blowing and/or suction with a fan, vibration mechanism through the integrated oil extractor apparatus, using rotation drum with grate and/or holes, siever, and or mill thresher or any combination thereof.

58. The process according to Claim 46, wherein the wet cleaning (405) of step d. refers to washing of the oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets with water via any means such as submersion, sprinkling, spraying or any combination thereof in the temperature range of between 20 °C and 99.9 °C.

59. The process according to Claim 58, wherein the water is normal processed water, distilled water, reverse osmosis water, effluent treatment plant water, any type of water with the pH levels of between pH 5 to pH 10 (preferably between pH 7 to pH 8.5), biologically treated discharge water having a total alkalinity of 1,000-10,000 mg calcium carbonate (CaC03) per litre or any combination thereof.

60. The process according to Claim 46, wherein step e. is a continuous or batch process, preferably a continuous process.

61. The process according to Claim 46, wherein the sterilisation unit (201) comprises a hopper (204) for entry inlet of the oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets, a plurality of inlets (205) for a direct and/or indirect steam introduction and a first outlet (206) to remove the crude virgin palm fruit oil from bottom end of the sterilisation unit (201), the digestion unit (202) consists of a plurality of inlets (205) for a direct and/or indirect steam introduction and a second outlet (207) to remove the crude virgin palm fruit oil from bottom end of the digestion unit (202) and the pressing unit (203) consists of a plurality of inlets (205) for a direct and/or indirect steam introduction and a third outlet (208) to remove the crude virgin palm fruit oil from bottom end of the pressing unit (203).

62. The process according to Claim 46, wherein the sterilisation unit (201), digestion unit (202) and pressing unit (203) are contained as a single compartment having a same diameter or the sterilisation unit (201), digestion unit (202) and pressing unit (203) are divided into two compartments, whereby ratio of diameter between a first compartment and a second compartment is in a range of 1:1 to 10:1, preferably in the range of between 5:1 to 5:4 and most preferably in the range of between 4:1 to 4:3 or the sterilisation unit (201), digestion unit (202) and pressing unit (203) are divided into three compartments, whereby ratio of diameter between the sterilisation unit and digestion unit is in range of 1:1 to 10:1, preferably in a range of between 5:1 to 5:4 and most preferably in a range of between 4:1 to 4:3, ratio of diameter between the digestion unit and pressing unit is in a range of 1:1 to 10:1, preferably in a range of between 5:1 to 5:4 and most preferably in a range of between 4:1 to 4:3.

63. The process according to Claim 46, wherein the sterilisation of the oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets in the sterilisation unit (201) is in a range of between 1 minute to 240 minutes, the digestion of the oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets in the digestion unit (202) is in a range of between 1 to 240 minutes and the pressing of the oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets in the pressing unit (203) is in a range of between 1 to 60 minutes with a hydraulic pressure during the pressing of the oil palm fruitlets is of between 1 x 10⁶ Pa to 100 x 10⁶Pa, 5 x 10⁶ Pa to 50 x 10⁶ Pa.

64. The process according to Claim 63, wherein the pressing unit (203) of the single- stage oil extractor apparatus is to press the oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets to produce the crude virgin palm fruit oil and partially pressed cake or the pressing unit (203) of the multi-stage oil extractor apparatus is to press the oil palm fruitlets to produce the crude virgin palm fruit oil.

65. The process according to Claim 64, the partially pressed cake is recovered, digested (414) and pressed (415) to further produce undiluted crude palm fruit oil, whereby the undiluted crude palm fruit oil is recovered and mixed with dilution water (416) to produce diluted crude palm fruit oil and further clarified (417) and/or centrifuged, purified (418) and dried (419) to produce the low FFA-crude palm fruit oil or the undiluted crude palm fruit oil is recovered and further clarified (417) and/or centrifuged, purified (418) and dried (419) to produce the low FFA-crude palm fruit oil with FFA levels in a range of between 0.5% to 5%.

66. The process according to Claim 65, wherein the crude palm fruit oil is selected from crude palm oil, crude palm oil fraction or any combination thereof.

67. The process according to Claim 64, wherein the crude virgin palm fruit oil is further recovered, undergoes desanding step (407), 1st separation step (408), 2nd separation step (409), purified (410) and dried (411) to produce a virgin palm fruit oil.

68. The process according to Claim 67, the virgin palm fruit oil is selected from virgin palm oil, virgin palm oil fraction or combinations thereof.

69. The process according to Claim 68, wherein the virgin palm oil, virgin palm oil fraction or combinations thereof are 3-monochloropropane-l,2-diol (3-MCPD) free.

70. The process according to Claims 68 to 69, wherein the virgin palm oil is filtered (412) and fractionated (413) into a virgin palm olein and a virgin palm stearin.

71. A process for producing crude virgin palm fruit oil, the process including the steps of: a. layering (501) oil palm fresh fruit bunches (FFB) with at least one fruit ripening composition such as plant hormones, chemicals, biochemical, enzymes or any combination thereof; b. incubating (502) the oil palm FFB for a time range of between 1 to 48 hours to produce oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets and/or partially stripped oil palm FFB; c. segregating (503) the oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets and/or the partially stripped oil palm FFB to further produce oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets; d. stripping (504) the partially stripped oil palm FFB to produce oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets; e. sterilizing (505) the oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets for a time period of between 1 to 240 minutes to produce sterilised oil palm fruitlets in a temperature range of between 55°C to 65°C, preferably at 60 °C; f. digesting (506) the sterilized oil palm fruitlets for a retention time period of between 1 to 240 minutes to produce digested palm fruitlets in a temperature range of between 25°C to 99.9°C; g. pressing (507) the digested palm fruitlets for a time period of between 1 to 60 minutes to produce pressed palm fruits and crude virgin palm fruit oil in a temperature range of between 55°C to 65, preferably at 60 °C °C; h. recovering the crude virgin palm fruit followed by desanding step (508), 1st separation step (509), 2nd separation step (510), purification (511) and drying (512) to produce a virgin palm fruit oil, wherein

72. The process according to Claim 71, wherein the at least one fruit ripening composition of step a. is in liquid form, semi-liquid form, gaseous form, semi gaseous form, solid form, semi-solid form or any combination thereof.

73. The process according to Claim 71, wherein step a. is done via spraying, pouring, evaporation, direct injection, desorption, dispensing or any combination thereof.

74. The process according to Claims 71 to 73, wherein the at least one fruit ripening composition comprises an ethylene gas, ethylene precursors, ethylene producing agents or any combination thereof.

75. The process according to Claim 74, wherein the at least one fruit ripening composition is an ethylene gas.

76. The process according to Claim 75, wherein the ethylene gas is from exogenous sources, endogenously produced or a combination of both.

77. The process according to Claims 71 to 76, wherein the at least one fruit ripening composition is further used in combination with a second fruit ripening composition such as methyl jasmonate, CGA 13’586, abscisic acid (ABA) or any combination thereof.

78. The process according to Claim 71, wherein step b. is done in an enclosed space such as in a closed storage bin, closed container, closed chamber or any combination thereof.

79. The process according to Claim 71, wherein pressure of the enclosed space is in a range of 1 x 10⁵ Pa to 5 x 10⁵Pa (1 bar to 5 bar), carbon dioxide content is between 3% to 13% and temperature in the range of 0 °C to 150 °C.

80. The process according to Claims 74 to 79, wherein concentration of the ethylene gas is in a range of between 20 ppm to 2,400 ppm based on volume of the enclosed space in a range of between 150 L to 20,300 L or 625 ppm to 10,000 ppm based on weight of FFB in a range of between 9 kg to 30 kg.

81. The process according to Claim 71, wherein step c. is done via methods such as mechanical segregation, conveyor system with or without grating, inchned loading ramp with a plate inserted on top of ramp with grating system, siever, rotating drum, vibration means, separation via difference in density (air or water), using a grate, vibration, air suction, air blowing, liquid floating, liquid sinking or any combination thereof.

82. The process according to Claim 71, wherein step d. is done via a rotary mechanical drum with an inchned plate and/or beater arm for a time range of between 1 to 30 minutes with the rotating speed of the rotary mechanical drum in the range of between 1 to 200 rpm.

83. The process according to Claim 71, wherein step e. is done via continuous sterilisation, batch sterilisation, saturated or unsaturated steam, microwave sterilisation or conventional steriliser (horizontal or vertical), preferably a continuous steriliser in a non-pressurised condition.

84. The process according to Claims 71 to 83, wherein the virgin palm fruit oil is selected from virgin palm oil, virgin palm oil fraction or combinations thereof.

85. The process according to Claim 84, wherein the virgin palm oil, virgin palm oil fraction or combinations thereof are 3-monochloropropane-l,2-diol (3-MCPD) free.

86. The process according to Claims 84 to 85, wherein the virgin palm oil is filtered (513) and fractionated (514) into a virgin palm olein and a virgin palm stearin.

87. A process for producing low free fatty acids (FFA)-crude palm fruit oil, the process including the steps of: a. layering (301) oil palm fresh fruit bunches (FFB) with at least one fruit ripening composition such as plant hormones, chemicals, biochemical, enzymes or any combination thereof; b. incubating (302) the oil palm FFB for a time range of between 1 to 48 hours to produce oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets and/or partially stripped oil palm FFB; c. segregating (303) the oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets and/or partially stripped oil palm FFB to further produce oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets; d. stripping (304) the partially stripped oil palm FFB to produce oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets; e. sterilizing (305) the oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets for a time period of between 1 to 240 minutes to produce sterilised oil palm fruitlets in a temperature range of between 50°C to 180°C; f. digesting (306) the sterilized oil palm fruitlets for a retention time period of between 1 to 240 minutes to produce digested palm fruitlets in a temperature range of between 25°C to 99.9°C; g. pressing (307) the digested palm fruitlets for a time period of between 1 to 60 minutes to produce pressed palm fruits and undiluted crude palm fruit containing an aqueous phase of between 20 wt.% to 80 wt.%, an oil phase of between 20 wt.% to 60 wt.% and a non-oily solid phase of between 0 wt.% to 10 wt.% in a temperature range of between 25°C to 99.9°C; h. recovering the undiluted crude palm fruit oil to form recovered undiluted crude palm fruit oil; i. mixing the recovered undiluted crude palm fruit oil with dilution water to produce diluted crude palm fruit oil containing an aqueous phase of between 20 wt.% to 80 wt.%, an oil phase of between 20 wt.% to 60 wt.% and a non-oily solid phase of between 0 wt.% to 10 wt.%; and j. clarifying and/or centrifuging the diluted crude palm fruit oil or the recovered undiluted crude palm fruit oil, followed by purifying and drying to produce the low-FFA crude palm fruit oil, wherein the oil extractor apparatus is a single-stage or multi-stage oil extractor apparatus; total chlorine content of the low FFA-crude palm fruit oil is in a range of between 0.5 ppm to 5 ppm; phosphorus level of the crude palm fruit oil is in a range of between 5 ppm to 20 ppm; and FFA levels of the crude palm fruit oil is in a range of between 0.5% to 5%.

88. The process according to Claim 87, wherein the at least one fruit ripening composition of step a. is in liquid form, semi-liquid form, gaseous form, semi gaseous form, solid form, semi-sohd form or any combination thereof.

89. The process according to Claim 87, wherein step a. is done via spraying, pouring, evaporation, direct injection, desorption, dispensing or any combination thereof.

90. The process according to Claims 87 to 89, wherein the at least one fruit ripening composition comprises an ethylene gas, ethylene precursors, ethylene producing agents or any combination thereof.

91. The process according to Claim 90, wherein the at least one fruit ripening composition is an ethylene gas.

92. The process according to Claim 91, wherein the ethylene gas is from exogenous sources, endogenously produced or a combination of both.

93. The process according to Claims 87 to 92, wherein the at least one fruit ripening composition is further used in combination with a second fruit ripening composition such as methyl jasmonate, CGA 13’586, abscisic acid (ABA) or any combination thereof.

94. The process according to Claim 87, wherein step b. is done in an enclosed space such as in a closed storage bin, closed container, closed chamber or any combination thereof.

95. The process according to Claim 94, wherein pressure of the enclosed space is in a range of 1 x 10⁵ Pa to 5 x 10⁶Pa (1 bar to 5 bar), carbon dioxide content is between 3% to 13% and temperature in the range of 0 °C to 150 °C.

96. The process according to Claims 90 to 95, wherein concentration of the ethylene gas is in a range of between 20 ppm to 2,400 ppm based on volume of the enclosed space in a range of between 150 L to 20,300 L or 625 ppm to 10,000 ppm based on weight of FFB in a range of between 9 kg to 30 kg.

97. The process according to Claim 87, wherein step c. is done via methods such as mechanical segregation, conveyor system with or without grating, inclined loading ramp with a plate inserted on top of ramp with grating system, siever, rotating drum, vibration means, separation via difference in density (air or water), using a grate, vibration, air suction, air blowing, liquid floating, liquid sinking or any combination thereof.

98. The process according to Claim 87, wherein step d. is done via a rotary mechanical drum with an inclined plate and or beater arm for a time range of between 1 to 30 minutes with the rotating speed pf the rotary mechanical drum in the range of between 1 to 200 rpm.

99. The process according to Claim 87, wherein step e. is done via continuous sterilisation, batch sterilisation, saturated or unsaturated steam, microwave sterilisation or conventional steriliser (horizontal or vertical), preferably a continuous steriliser in a non-pressurised condition.

100. The process according to Claims 87 to 99, wherein the crude palm fruit oil is selected from crude palm oil, crude palm oil fraction or any combination thereof.

101. A process for producing low free fatty acids (FFA)-crude palm fruit oil, the process including the steps of: a. layering (301) oil palm fresh fruit bunches (FFB) with at least one fruit ripening composition such as plant hormones, chemicals, biochemical, enzymes or any combination thereof; b. incubating (302) the oil palm FFB for a time range of between 1 to 48 hours to produce oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets and/or partially stripped oil palm FFB; c. sterilizing (305) the oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets and/or the partially stripped oil palm FFB for a time period of between 1 to 240 minutes to produce sterilised oil palm fruitlets and/or sterilised partially stripped oil palm FFB in a temperature range of between 50°C to 180°C; d. stripping (304) the sterilised partially stripped oil palm FFB to further produce sterilised oil palm oil palm loose fruitlets and empty fruit bunches; e. digesting (306) the sterilized oil palm fruitlets for a retention time period of between 1 to 240 minutes to produce digested palm fruitlets in a temperature range of between 25°C to 99.9°C; f. pressing (307) the digested palm fruitlets for a time period of between 1 to 60 minutes to produce pressed palm fruits and undiluted crude palm fruit containing an aqueous phase of between 20 wt.% to 80 wt.%, an oil phase of between 20 wt.% to 60 wt.% and a non-oily solid phase of between 0 wt.% to 10 wt.% in a temperature range of between 25°C to 99.9°C; g. recovering the undiluted crude palm fruit oil to form recovered undiluted crude palm fruit oil; h. mixing the recovered undiluted crude palm fruit oil with dilution water to produce diluted crude palm fruit oil containing an aqueous phase of between 20 wt.% to 80 wt.%, an oil phase of between 20 wt.% to 60 wt.% and a non-oily solid phase of between 0 wt.% to 10 wt.%; and i. clarifying and/or centrifuging the diluted crude palm fruit oil or the recovered undiluted crude palm fruit oil, followed by purifying and drying to produce the low-FFA crude palm fruit oil, wherein the oil extractor apparatus is a single-stage or multi-stage oil extractor apparatus; total chlorine content of the low FFA-crude palm fruit oil is in a range of between 0.5 ppm to 5 ppm; phosphorus level of the crude palm fruit oil is in a range of between 5 ppm to 20 ppm; and FFA levels of the crude palm fruit oil is in a range of between 0.5% to 5%. wherein total chlorine content of the low FFA-crude palm fruit oil is in a range of between 0.5 ppm to 5 ppm; and

FFA levels of the crude palm fruit oil is in a range of between 0.5% to 5%.

102. The process according to Claim 101, wherein the at least one fruit ripening composition of step a. is in liquid form, semi-liquid form, gaseous form, semi gaseous form, solid form, semi-solid form or any combination thereof.

103. The process according to Claim 101, wherein step a. is done via spraying, pouring, evaporation, direct injection, desorption, dispensing or any combination thereof.

104. The process according to Claims 101 to 103, wherein the at least one fruit ripening composition comprises an ethylene gas, ethylene precursors, ethylene producing agents or any combination thereof.

105. The process according to Claim 104, wherein the at least one fruit ripening composition is an ethylene gas.

106. The process according to Claim 105, wherein the ethylene gas is from exogenous sources, endogenously produced or a combination of both.

107. The process according to Claim 101 to 106, wherein the at least one fruit ripening composition is further used in combination with a second fruit ripening composition such as methyl jasmonate, CGA 13’586, abscisic acid (ABA) or any combination thereof.

108. The process according to Claim 101, wherein step b. is done in an enclosed space such as in a closed storage bin, closed container, closed chamber or any combination thereof.

109. The process according to Claim 108, wherein pressure of the enclosed space is in a range of 1 x 10⁶ Pa to 5 x 10⁵ Pa (1 bar to 5 bar), carbon dioxide content is between 3% to 13% and temperature in the range of 0 °C to 150 °C.

110. The process according to Claims 104 to 109, wherein concentration of the ethylene gas is in a range of between 20 ppm to 2,400 ppm based on volume of the enclosed space in a range of between 150 L to 20,300 L or 625 ppm to 10,000 ppm based on weight of FFB in a range of between 9 kg to 30 kg.

111. The process according to Claim 101, wherein step c. is done via a continuous sterilisation, batch sterilisation, saturated or unsaturated steam, microwave sterilisation or conventional steriliser (horizontal or vertical), preferably a continuous steriliser in a non-pressurised condition.

112. The process according to Claim 101, wherein step d. is done via a rotary mechanical drum with an inclined plate and/or beater arm for a time range of between 1 to 30 minutes with the rotating speed pf the rotary mechanical drum in the range of between 1 to 200 rpm.

113. The process according to Claim 101, wherein step e. is done via continuous sterilisation, batch sterilisation, saturated or unsaturated steam, microwave sterilisation or conventional steriliser (horizontal or vertical), preferably a continuous steriliser in a non-pressurised condition.

114. The process according to Claims 101 to 113, wherein the crude palm fruit oil is selected from crude palm oil, crude palm oil fraction or any combination thereof.