Palm oil processing involves a series of steps to extract oil from the fruit of the oil palm tree. The process begins after the palm fruit has been harvested. Here's a breakdown of how it works, based on the provided reference:
The Palm Oil Extraction Process
| Step | Description |
|---|---|
| 1. Harvesting | Palm fruit bunches are harvested from the oil palm trees. |
| 2. Transportation | The harvested fruit bunches are transported to a factory for processing. |
| 3. Sterilization | The fruit bunches are sterilized to kill bacteria, and to aid in the threshing process. |
| 4. Threshing | The individual fruits are separated from the fruit bunch. |
| 5. Digestion | The fruits are then digested, breaking down the pulp to release the oil. |
| 6. Oil Extraction | The digested pulp is then mechanically pressed to extract the crude palm oil. |
Detailed Steps
The process, therefore, involves a series of crucial steps:
- Harvesting: The entire process starts with the collection of ripe palm fruit bunches.
- Transportation: These bunches are then quickly taken to a processing facility.
- Sterilization: Once at the factory, the bunches undergo sterilization using heat which not only kills any bacteria but also makes it easier to remove the fruits.
- Threshing: In this step, the individual palm fruits are separated from the bunch.
- Digestion: The fruits are then processed in a digester to break down the pulp.
- Oil Extraction: After digestion, the pulp is mechanically pressed to extract the crude palm oil.
This process effectively extracts the valuable oil from the palm fruit pulp, which can then be further refined.
