Our A palm oil mill is a facility where palm oil is extracted from fresh fruit bunches (FFB) that are harvested from oil palm trees. Palm oil is one of the most widely used vegetable oils in the world and is found in a wide range of products, including food, cosmetics, and household items.
Here are the basic steps involved in the palm oil milling process:
1. Harvesting: Oil palm trees are typically harvested around 25 years of age when they are most productive. The fresh fruit bunches (FFB) are cut from the trees and collected for processing.
2. Reception of FFB: The FFB are transported to the palm oil mill for processing. They are weighed and then unloaded into a reception pit.
3. Sterilization: The FFB are then sterilized to kill any bacteria or fungi that may be present. This is usually done using steam in a sterilization tank.
4. Threshing: The sterilized FFB are then mechanically threshed to separate the fruit from the bunch. This process separates the individual fruits (palm fruits) from the bunches.
5. Digestion: The palm fruits are then digested to break down the cell structure and release the oil. This is done using a process that involves heating and churning the fruits.
6. Pressing: The mashed palm fruits are then mechanically pressed to extract the crude palm oil from the fruit pulp.
7. Clarification: The crude palm oil obtained from pressing contains impurities such as water and solid residues. Clarification is done to separate these impurities from the oil.
8. Purification: Further purification steps may be carried out to remove any remaining impurities from the oil.
9. Drying and Storage: The final palm oil is dried to remove any remaining moisture. It is then stored in tanks or barrels for further processing or distribution.
It's important to note that while palm oil is a versatile and widely used product, its production has been associated with various environmental and social issues. These include deforestation, habitat destruction for wildlife, and issues related to labor practices on some plantations. Sustainable palm oil production practices, such as those certified by organizations like the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO), aim to mitigate these concerns.
Efforts are also being made to develop alternative, more sustainable vegetable oil sources to reduce the environmental impact of palm oil production.