Dear Mr Sathe, Yours is a strange question for a website on palm oil. The only thing I can suggest is to contact the American Soyabean Association and see if they can help you. But expect to have to pay for it of course. Regards, FP (28.03.2011)

Dear Mr Khan, My answer is yes, you can use stearic acid at 31kg instead of 30kg palmitic acid. But stearic acid is another step away from lauric acid, which is what you are trying to match. However, with such small amounts it will be virtually impossible to tell the difference. Regards, FP (22.03.2011)

Dear Mr Mukhopadhyay, Your question is about selling tactics on which I have no special expertise. But it seems to me you have explained the superiority of your product quite well to me and you can do the same to your customers. It will also be more convincing to show them photographs. Regards, FP (22.03.2011)

Dear Mr Elias, Your question is about agriculture and commerce and not about technology. But also no one can answer it from the zero information you have given. One hectare will not give you a living income. Yields depend on soil, climate, and age of the trees. Expenditure will depend on amount of fertilizers, upkeep, equipment, the help you get from your family etc But the most important factor will be the price you get for the fruit you produce, a few years from now, in the area you live. If you only have a hectare or two perhaps you can buy a small mill and storage tanks to produce, pack and sell your own oil and soap. If you are living in Malaysia it may be better to join FELDA who will give you all the suppot you need. Regards, FP (22.03.2011)

Dear Khan, The advantages of palmitic over lauric acid I have mentioned in my answer 1099. But lauric acid has other advantages and that is why some people prefer one and others prefer the other. As for the actual quantity of palmitic acid needed for a 2800kg batch, it is 30kg. Regards, FP (19.03.2011)

Dear Mr Sonbatran, I regret but for questions of this type you will have to engage a private consultant who will also advise on other things you will need. Compared with the total cost of your venture, the extra cost will be negligible. Regards, FP (19.03.2011)

Dear Mr Kapelo, I myself and all the research reports I have read on the subject, have found that sodium methoxide is the most active catalyst, but potassium hydroxide is often preferred by plant designers because it is safer and cheaper. I have never bothered to test bentonite or any other catalysts on which no one else reported favourably. Life is short. (19.03.2011)

Dear Mr Syazwan, What you have observed is quite correct. Whatever you do to an oil, however mild, will have some effect and when you fractionate RBDPO into olein and stearin you do quite a lot to it. You pump it into the processing vessels, cool it, stir it, filter it under pressure, warm it up again, pump it to storage tank etc, all in the presence of air. Unavoidably some oxygen will combine with the oil and bring about changes in FFA, PV and colour. In fact it is amazing what high standards modern PO refineries can maintain and that in respect of the above 3 tests the PORAM specifications are the same whether PO, olein or stearin. Regards, FP (18.03.2011)

Dear Mr Mandy, My answer is yes, but I hope you will be trying to determine what is sufficient, not "insufficient". Regards, FP (18.03.2011)

Dear Mr Krishnakumar, I expect the sediment from PO storage tanks will be a mixture of oil, gums, other solid matter and moisture. For prices and import duties in India you will have to enquire locally. That is what traders have to do. Regads, FP (18.03.2011)

Dear Mr Khan, Assuming your free alkali figure is correct, then if you add 1.07%% palmitic acid acid it will analyse as 0.75% FFA as palmitic, which is the middle of the specification you were given. I think palmitic acid will be not only cheaper but also better than lauric acid for sensitive skins. Regards, FP (18.03.2011)

Dear Mr Syazwan, What you have observed is quite correct. Whatever you do to an oil, however mild, will have some effect and when you fractionate RBDPO into olein and stearin you do quite a lot to it. You pump it into other vessels, cool it, stir it, filter it under pressure etc, all in the presence of air. Unavoidably some oxygen will combine with it and bring about changes in FFA, PV and colour. In fact it is amazing what high standards modern PO refineries can maintain and that in respect of the above 3 tests the PORAM specifications are the same whether PO, olein or stearin. Regards, FP (18.03.2011)

Dear Mr Mandy, 1) I do not know of any one testing it, people find out what is enough from experience. 2) I think the reason is cost and the results are not better. Regards, FP (09.03.2011)

Dear Mr Khan, You can get a copy of the method from the American Oil Chemists Society but it is quite expensive. Regards, FP (09.03.2011)

Dear Mr khan, I assume that by TFM you mean total fatty matter and TFN is a misprint. If you and your customer are getting different test results then you must be using different analytical methods. Normally the customer has to follow the methods of the supplier, other wise life would be impossible for him. But you should have made it clear to him when negotiating for the order. Regads, FP (09.03.2011)

Dear Mr Bandaru, All PO grades are edible and can also be used for soap. Preference for eating depends on local custom and traditions. Regards, FP (09.03.2011)

Dear Mr William, Your question is outside the scope of this page and I should not reply. But I have to say I am amazed you have not yet realised this website is full of buyers and sellers of PO. If you are serious about doing business, you can join it. (09.03.2011)

Dear Mandy, The yield of olein from CPO is very much affected by its FA composition. The olein is the more unsaturated component of PO and more unsaturated FA in the PO, the higher the olein yield will be. Regards FP (09.03.2011)

Dear Mr Herdiansyah, 1) In most countries there are legal limits on the amount of chemical antioxidants you can add to foods and up to those limits the more the better, although at a diminishing rate. 2) Grossly excessive amounts can have an adverse effect on food shelf life and flavour and on oil colour. 3) Unfortunately deciding on the condition of the frying oil is a complicated matter requiring many tests and well equipped laboratories which most of the frying industry cannot afford. The single most informative test is generally considered to be %polar compounds. But practically the whole of the Industry relies on the FFA and although many scientists laugh at it, it is a very good one, especially when the frying companies find its correlation with the polar compounds, using the type of oil and conditions they have. Regards, FP (04.03.2011)

Dear Mandy, Before I can answer your question you must tell me whether you mean yield from CPO or from RBDPO. However, I can tell you that while the composition of PO affects the olein yield geatly, its quality as usually measured by FFA, PV, oxidation values and colour do not. But instead of concentrating on the quality of your PO feed stock it would be better to try to improve your fractionation process. Regards, FP (04.03.2011)