Free Fatty Acid Formation Points in Palm Oil Processing and the Impact on Oil Quality

Background: The level of free fatty acids (FFAs) is an important oil quality index that consistently measured at mills and refineries to ensure palm within specification limits. FFAs can accumulate any point throughout the process, for example, during fresh fruit bunch (FFB) harvesting or mill process before sterilisation. Another key contributor FFA build-up loose (LF), which collected following FFB commonly processed together with into crude (CPO) mill. aim this study was identify pivotal points formation production. Results: present shows highest accumulation occurred conveying sterilisation due significant damage. rapid first 15 min bruising. A minimum temperature 60 °C one hour needed deactivate lipase activity, responsible formation. Blending high-FFA CPO standard affected indices quality, such as deteriorated peroxide value (PV) anisidine (AV), particularly worsened bleachability (DOBI). Conclusions: This suggests conveyor system in could be prime area focus on terms reduction, along minimising bruising events. In addition, fruits (LF) high content should separately from FFB, derived LF not mixed CPO.