Physical refining of edible oils

INTRODUCTION TO TECHNOLOGY

Edible oil refining is a set of processes that, starting from crude oil, allow to obtain a high-end product, capable of preserving and keeping present and intact elements useful to the human body, while eliminating impurities and substances harmful to health. Edible oil refining is divided into two types: physical refining and chemical refining. The differentiation is due to the different nature of the crude oils that, after the extraction, must be subjected to the refining process in order to obtain the final product. Therefore, first of all it is good to make a distinction between soft oils and hard oils. The soft oils are vegetable oils that, at room temperature (around 20° C), maintain a liquid state and normally require chemical refining. Among these, the most common are sunflower  oil, soybean oil, corn oil, olive oil and rapeseed oil. Hard oils, on the other hand, tend to be in a semi-solid state at the same temperature, with a higher concentration of free fatty acids (FFA) than soft oils, and normally  undergo a physical refining process. The most famous and widespread among the hard oils is palm oil, whose massive diffusion has allowed, starting from the 1970s, a renewed interest in the physical refining of edible oils. Among the hard oils, it is also necessary to include coconut oil and palm kernel oil.

TECHNOLOGY DIFFERENCIES

Bearing in mind that it is not possible to use physical refining for all types of crude oil, below we will see what are the main differences of physical refining compared to chemical refining.

The latter has the purpose of eliminating free fatty acids by adding caustic soda and separating the soapstocks obtained through mechanical separation, centrifuging the product. Physical refining, in the last step, instead, removes free fatty acids together with other impurities through steam stripping.

Basically, physical refining of edible oils doesn’t use additives to obtain reactions and consists of a reduced number of steps compared to chemical refining, which requires the addition of the neutralization phase to eliminate free fatty acids to obtain the final product. In fact, physical refining of edible oils is perceived more eco-sustainable because it minimizes the production of effluents. Another main difference of this process compared to chemical refining is that it is normally considered cheaper because:

– fewer chemicals are used;

– less investment is required;

– less energy is needed to operate the process;

– plant operations and maintenance are simpler and less expensive;

– the yield of the final product is increased, with lower oil loss;

Both physical and chemical refining will provide quality of oil that can match all the Food Standards worldwide, so the selection of the process is driven sometimes also  by certain final quality parameters ( GE level, 3MCPD level, Trans fatty acids amount, etc.) that are peculiarities of the targeted Markets

FURTHER ADVANTAGES OF CMB TECHNOLOGY

CMB has a long and profitable experience in the design and construction of plants for the physical refining of vegetable oils.

The attention to engineering, quality of the materials used and optimization of the different phases are essential to make the difference in the application of a consolidated technology such as the physical refining of edible oils.

The deep know-how, the availability of its own workshop and the strong presence on the main vegetable oil markets, allow CMB to offer to its Clients the best solutions with extremely competitive investments, guaranteeing:

• Higher overall efficiency and Improved yield;
• Less environmental impact – less wastewater, less effluents;
• Low chemical and utility consumptions;
• Continuous Improvement

Furthermore, CMB stands out for its ability to create and maintain a solid relationship of trust with its Clients, constantly involving them and working with them to find the most appropriate solutions to their needs. Consultancy and customer care are fundamental parts of CMB’s business: the Company is constantly expanding its presence throughout the World, and continues to be a point of reference for the timely , , effective and efficient support of all its Clients.

Contact CMB for a smart advice, and we’ll find the way to make your business more profitable!