Palm Oil Composition

Palm oil comprises of natural fats and oils including triglyceries, mono and diglycerides. The oil palm gives its name to the 16 carbon saturated fatty acid palmitic acid found in palm oil; monounsaturated oleic acid is also a constituent of palm oil while palm kernel oil contains mainly lauric acid. Besides this, it is the largest natural source of tocotrienol, part of the Vitamin E family. It also contains high concentration of Vitamin K and dietary magnesium.

As much as 90% of the palm oil produced finds its way into food products, while remaining 10% is consumed by various industries. It is widely used preparing margarine, shortening, and vegetable cooking oil. In many parts of the world, it is still consumed in its unrefined state to obtain a distinctive colour and flavour. Palm oil is extensively used in preparing dry cake mix used for baking biscuits, cakes and sponge cakes, soaps, sauces, fat substitutes, etc. Recently, palm and kernel oils have been increasingly used as biodiesel fuel.

It is also used in producing oleo chemical products like:
• Fatty Acids
• Fatty Esters
• Fatty Alcohols, etc.