Abstract: The present invention discloses a commercial process for the production of refined palm oil rich in natural carotene. The process for the production of natural carotene rich refined oil comprises the steps of: (i) fractionating crude palm oil to form a liquid fraction and a solid portion; (ii) separating the liquid fraction from the solid portion; (iii) degumming the liquid fraction; (iv) neutralizing the degummed liquid fraction to substantially remove free tatty acids and impurities; (v) washing off the soap resulting from the neutralization step; and (vi) deodorizing the neutralized the product of step (v) to remove remaining free fatty acids and other impurities contained therein, thus forming a refined palm oil that contains less than 0.1% free fatty acid, has a carotene content retained of about 75%, an iodine value of less than 60 and a peroxide value of zero.

Abstract: Provided is a composition comprising an alkali metal glycerate or an alkaline earth metal glycerate and glycerol, and a method for preparing the same. Also provided are methods for removing a fatty acid from a fatty acid-comprising glyceride or a fatty acid alkyl ester (deacidifying) or drying a glyceride or fatty acid alkyl ester, involving contacting a mixture of the fatty acid and the fatty acid-comprising glyceride or the fatty acid alkyl ester, or mixing the glyceride or fatty acid alkyl ester, with the composition.

Abstract: An improved alkaline earth metal stearate composition is disclosed and is prepared by reacting a fatty acid component including stearic acid and palmitic acid with an alkali hydroxide to form an alkaline soap. An aqueous metal salt solution is then added to the soap, and pH adjusted to less than about pH 8 to form the improved alkaline earth metal stearate. The improved alkaline earth metal stearate provides a substantially pure amount of the dihydrate form of the stearate.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for removing phospholipids and/or polyvalent metals from a fatty substance. The process comprises the step of mixing by mechanical emulsification an aqueous solution of a salt of a polycarboxylic acid in the fatty substance. The mixture is present in the form of fine droplets or micelles of said aqueous phase in the fatty substance. The aqueous phase contains also advantageously an electrolyte derived from a monovalent cation. The preferred polycarboxylic acid salt is tetrasodium EDTA which is a complexant.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for refining glyceride oil comprising a neutralization treatment in which alkali is mixed into crude or water degummed glyceride oil and a separation treatment in which the soapstock formed is separated from the glyceride oil by subjecting the oil to two centrifugal separators in series, in which at least 1 wt. % of the oil passes through both separators twice.

Abstract: The present invention pertains to a process for refining soap-containing crude polyol fatty-acid polyester reaction product, comprising the step of contacting the crude reaction product with an aqueous acid solution to substantially convert the soap into its corresponding free fatty acids, the subsequent step of drying said crude reaction product to substantially remove any free-water therein, and the step of substantially removing from the dried crude reaction product any salts therein.