Abstract: A process for dry fractionation of fats and oils, by providing a fat-and-oil feedstock having an SFI at 20.degree. C. of at least 15; pre-cooling the fat-and-oil feedstock to a temperature of, at the highest, 3.degree. C. higher than that of a cooling medium to be used for crystallization; allowing the pre-cooled fat-and-oil feedstock to stand while further cooling the feedstock with the cooling medium to form fat crystals and to obtain cakes containing fat crystals; and subjecting the cakes to separation of solids from a liquid phase.

Abstract: An apparatus for formation of fat crystals by standing, which has a container, distribution pipes and crystallization trays arranged in parallel, the container being divided into plural compartments with vertical partitions each upper part of which has an opening to permit a fat-and-oil feedstock to be fed into each compartment, the compartments communicating with each other at a certain height from the bottom of the container so that the fat-and-oil feedstock can be uniformly fed into respective compartments, and the distribution pipes being connected to the bottoms of respective compartments so that the fat-and-oil feedstock to be fed therein can be distributed to the crystallization trays, respectively.

Abstract: A method for dry fractionation of a fatty material which comprises cooling the fatty material and then fractionating the material into a solid fraction and a liquid fraction, said cooling being carried out by introducing the fatty material in a fluid state into a filter chamber of a filter apparatus having pressing function and maintaining the fat material therein at a crystal deposition temperature until a predetermined amount of crystals are formed, and said fractionation being carried out by pressing the filter chamber to fractionate the fat material into the solid fraction and the liquid fraction.