technological solutionsto mitigate2/3-mcpd in crude...

Technological solutions tomitigate 2/3-MCPD in crudepalm oil production and palmoil chemical refining

Oils & Fats Exhibition, Munich

Food Safety Forum, September 14th, 2017

KLAUS-PETER EICKHOFF

Agenda

2

1 Palm oil – figures and quality standards

2 Current discussion about MCPD and GE

3 Mitigation strategies for oil mills

• Conventional process

• ECO-D process

• CPO washing

4 Process changes for refining palm oil

5 Conclusions

Agenda

3





• ECO-D process

• CPO washing


5 Conclusions

Importance of Palm Oil

4

Palm Oil is the vegetable oil with the highest level of production in the world. In 2016

around 65 Mio tons were produced. The oil palm grows best in tropical countries with

constant climate.

90%4%6%

Estimated global palm oil production by countries

5

Rank Country Production [1000 MT]

1 Indonesia 35.000,00

2 Malaysia 21.000,00

3 Thailand 2.300,00

4 Colombia 1.175,00

5 Nigeria 970,00

6 Ecuador 560,00

7 Honduras 545,00

8 Papua New Guinea 522,00

9 Ghana 520,00

10 Guatemala 515,00

11 Côte d'Ivoire 415,00

12 Brazil 340,00

13 Cameroon 270,00

14 Costa Rica 270,00

15 DR of the Congo 215,00

16 Mexico 110,00

17 Philippines 85,00

18 Angola 58,00

19 Dominican Republic 53,00

20 Peru 51,00

21 Benin 50,00

22 Guinea 50,00

23 Liberia 42,00

24 Sierra Leone 36,00

25 Venezuela 15,00

Total 65.167,00

Region [1000 MT] [%]

South East Asia 58.907 90

Latin America 3.581 6

Africa 2.679 4

Source: US Department of

Agriculture, Year of estimate 2016

Image of palm oil under pressure

6Text über "Einfügen Kopf- u. Fußzeile" einfügen

• 3- MCPD 3-monochloropropanediol

• GE Glycidyl ester

• MCPD and GE are considered as carcinogenic, whereas GE in addition even as

genotoxic

• These esters are not present in crude oil, but are contaminents formed during

processing, mainly during deodorization at higher temperatures (>230°C).

�GE is formed when diglycerides are heated to more than 230 °C

• Issue of deodorizer design and process adjustment

�MCPD is formed by the reaction of chloride with glycerides under high temperatures

and acidic conditions

• Main precursor is chloride, which can be mitigated by „wet“ processing

New Challenge – 2/3-MCPD and GE


The focus in the mill is to achieve maximum yield and to produce CPO within the standard quality

specification, which is:

� FFA below 5%

� Moisture and impurities below 0.25%

� Deterioration of Bleachability Index (DOBI) 2.3 min. (3.0 is a very good value)

� Normally a premium is paid for CPO with very low FFA (< 3%) to ensure low refining loss

Causes of low DOBI and poor CPO oil quality:

� Unripe fruit bunches

� Delay in fruit processing (raining season)

� Contamination of CPO with badly oxidised sludge oil

� Prolonged sterilisation time

� Over heating and prolonged retention time in vertical clarifier tank

� High dilution rate and high moisture content

� Long processing time in the mill

What means improving palm oil quality today?Oil Mill

8

So far physical refining is the most common process:

� 0.1% FFA (as palmitic) for RBD

� Moisture and Impurities 0.1% max.

� Colour Lovibond 5,25“ cell max. 3 red

What means improving palm oil quality today?Refinery

9

CPO

Bleaching

Deodorization

RBD palm oil

Palm Oil

Features of physical refining

� Dry acid pretreatment

� Hydration of phospholipids and metal removal

� Bleaching

� Absorption of gums and undesired components with

activated bleaching earth

� Stripping / Deodorization

� Removal of FFA, odor / smell and heat bleaching at high

temperature of 260 – 265 °C under 2 - 4 mbar vacuum

� Significant influence on the formation of MPCD and Glycidyl

Esters

Dry acid pretreat.

Agenda

10





• ECO-D process

• CPO washing


5 Conclusions

Potential of different edible oils to form 3-MCPD andglycidyl ester

11

Total production of edible oils in 2016:

180 Mio. t

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

3.5

4

Palm oil Soy Rapeseed Sunflower

3-MCPD

GE

mg/k

g (

Media

n)

Source: EFSASource: USDA Statista

Palm oil35%

Soy29%

Rapeseed14%

Sunflower9%

PKO4% others

9%

ppm

Current status palm oilFood safety discussions about 3-MCPD and GE

12

� Comparably high content of MCPD and GE in palm oil

� MCPD and GE are suspected to be carcinogenic and genotoxic

� High pressure on food producers

� EFSA has been requested by the EU Commission for a risk

assessment

� EFSA recommendation for TDI: 3-MCPD: 0.8 µg/kg body weight

� On discussion at EU level:

• 3-MCPD: 2 ppm (perspective < 1ppm in future)

• GE: 1 ppm

� Consumer groups and food safety organizations demand lowest

possible concentration in refined oils

Value chain and production flow in palm oilprocessing

13

13

Breeding Cultivation Harvest Storage and transportation

CPO recovery process Storage and transportation

RBD Storage and transportationPhysical refining

Plantation

Oil mill

Refinery

Mitigation strategies

14

Avoiding (removal) of precursors

MCPD & Glycidyl Esters

Avoiding of esters

Plantation Mill Refining

Precursor for the creation of 3-MCPD in palm oil is primarily chlorine

Sources of chlorine:

� Fertilizers and pesticides

� Saline soil

� Diluting water

� Steam Condensate

� Sludge oil

Causes of 3-MCPD creation in palm oil processing

15

Agenda

16Palm Oil





• ECO-D process

• CPO washing


5 Conclusions

Avoiding or removing of precursors

� FFB are not suitable for storage

� Metabolic process starts directly after harvesting → Formation of FFA and Diglycerides

Getting lowest diacylglycerols (DAGs) content

� Harvest at optimum ripeness

Minimization of chlorine containing substances in cultivation

� Pesticides

� Fertilizer

How to mitigate the esters in palm oil

17

Plantation

• Breeding

• Cultivation

• Harvest

• Storage and Transport


18

Oil mill

• Sterilization

• CPO recovery process

• Storage and Transport

Avoiding or removing of precursors

� Shortest possible processing time in the mill → Formation of FFA and Diglycerides

� No circulation of low grade oil

Getting lowest diacylglycerols (DAGs) content

� Shortest possible sterilization time

� Use steam without chloride

Minimization of chlorine containing substances

� Washing of FFB to remove chlorine

� Additional washing of CPO, ev. with slightly alkaline water

Agenda

19



3 Mitigation strategies for oil milsl


• ECO-D process

• CPO washing


5 Conclusions

Mitigation stategies in oil mills

20

PressVertical clarifier

Sand trap

Vibrating screen

Buffer tank

Fibres

Live

Steam

Sludge tank Oil tankSteam

SludgePurifier

Vacuum dryerOil to

storage

De-sandingSand

Feed tankLive Steam

3-phase decanterCake

Steam

Condensate

Live

Steam

Waste water to effluent Oil Recirculation

Palm fruits

SludgeTop oil

Dilution

Dilution

Conventional Process

Dilution 20-40% to FFB

Possible accumulations of chlorine into the oil by steam and diluting water

Mitigation strategies in oil millsInfluence of centrifuges used

21Palm Oil

Feed

H2O

Oil + H2O

+ Emulsion

Drain

� Low speed horizontal separator 1,500 rpm

� 2-Phase machine

� Needs high amount of dilution water

� Permanent supervision is necessary to avoid oil losses

� Poor oil quality � higher recirculation

� High power consumption

feed

wateroil

sludge

feed

� 3-phase machine, separate

discarge of oil and water

� More effective, 5,400 rpm

� The separation efficiency can be

adjusted

� Stable separation with discharge of

the liquids under pressure

� No need for manual adjustment

� No need for manual cleaning or CIP

� Continuous cake discharge

� Lower solids content in the waste

water

� Low water consumption

� Handling of solid enriched feed with

higher viscosity is possible

cake

oilwater

Comparison different processes

22

Star Bowl

Centrifuge

Nozzle

Separator

3 Phase

Decanter

Oil content in light phase 30 % 80 % 80 %

Dilution water

consumptionHigh Medium Low

Solids discharge Slurry, contains

all nutrients

Slurry, contains

all nutrients

Discharged

as cake

Availability due to nozzle

blockageVery low Good with CIP Very good

Handling Complicated Easy Easy

Oil losses in the heavy

phase Medium/high Low Low

Labor-intensity High Medium/low Low

Price (investment) Very low Medium High

Centrifuges available for sludge de-oiling

Agenda

23





• ECO-D process

• CPO washing


5 Conclusions

Mitigation strategies for oil mills

ECO-D ProcessDilution 0-5 % to FFB

Live

steam

Differences between conventional and ecod process

25

Conventional palm oil

process

ECO-D Process

Dilution water 20-25 % to FFB < 5% to FFB

Oil losses min. 0.4 % to FFB 0.35-0.38 % to FFB

FFA 0.6-0.8 % more than

ECO- D

approx. 3%

Retention time 8-10h in settling tank 1 hour

Required space high low

POME/slurry 0.65 m³/t FFB 0.45 m³/t FFB

ECO-D Process

26

ECO-D - A System for the Future

� Direct crude oil processing without vertical clarifier tank.

� Shorter processing route, product exposure to heat is substantially

reduced.

� Best quality oil compared with conventional process is achieved.

� Ecological and simplified process without dilution water.

� Reduction in hot water consumption, energy and treatment costs -

substantial cost savings.

� As no dilution water is required, the resultant effluent slurry is reduced

to 15 ~ 20 % to FFB.

� Lower oil losses compared to conventional process, resulting in

substantial savings.

Agenda

27





• ECO-D process

• CPO washing


5 Conclusions

Total chloride levels in palm oil products today

28Palm Oil

Sample Average value (ppm) Range (ppm)

Crude palm oil 7.29 (±5.9) 2.62-15.58

RBD palm oil 2.46 (±0.9) 1.08-3.51

RBD palm olein 2.30 (±1.1) 1.21-3.72

RBD palm stearin 1.89 (±1.1) 0.15-3.10

Source: MPOB

CPO Washing

29

Features:

� Maximum removal of chlorines in the mill

� Mitigation of 3-MCPD esters in the refinery

� Removal of other contaminants (e.g. phospholipids)

� Best oil quality by oil cooling before storage

Process target:

• Reduce inorganic chloride content from 8 – 15 ppm to 2 ppm

Can be combined with conventional and ECO-D CPO recovery processes

Agenda

30





• ECO-D process

• CPO washing


5 Conclusions

Washing / Degumming of CPO

� Removal of inorganic chlorine and phoholipids

Change from physical to chemical refining

� 2-stage neutralization for best possible oil quality

Lower temperatures in deodorization stage lead to lower GE content

� Only a chemically neutralized oil allows lower temperatures in the downstream deodorizing stage.

Very high deodorization temperatures create GE

Minimization of MCPD

� Treatment of CPO with the aid of sodium hydroxide produces the best results in the reduction of

chlorine and thus less contamination with 3-MCPD esters


31

Refinery

• Washing / Degumming of CPO

• Bleaching

• Physical or chemical refining

CPO washing / degumming


Features:

• Simple washing with 2 to 5 % demineralized water

• Acid addition not recommendable (precursor for MCPD formation)

• High shear mixing of oil and water recommendable

Process achievements:

• Removal of inorganic chlorine

• < 2 ppm Cl in fresh oils (e.g. FFA < 3 %) possible

• Reduction of phospholipids

• Removal of other impurities

Reduction of bleaching earth consumption by 30 – 50 %

Chemical Refining / 2-Stage Neutralisation

33

Features:

• Reliable process, even for worst crude oil qualities

• Can be also used for washing only in case of top CPO quality

Process achievements:

• FFA content: < 0,1 %

• Soap content: < 100 ppm

• 3- MCPD mitigation: < 1 ppm possible

� Longer shelf life of the trefined oil due to metal ions removal (higher

oxidation stability)

�Reduction of bleaching earth consumption (up to 50%)

� Lower temperature in deodorizer possible

�< 220°C as opposed to 260-280°C for FFA stripping / deodirization

�Effect of lower temperature: Mitigation of GE and 3 MCPD esters

� Premium price for chemically refined palm oil

� Soapstock is a by-product (soap production, fatty acid recovery by

splitting)

Additional advantages of chemical refining vsphysical refining

34

Agenda

35




• sConventional process

• ECO-D process

• CPO washing


5 Conclusions

Summary and Conclusions

36

� If you want to minimize MCPD and GE in palm oil, you have to start as

early in the process as possible

� The most crucial factors in the mill are: oil quality and chloride content

� That makes ECO-D best process in terms of MCPD and GE mitigation

(due to its shortest processing time, no dilution water and lowest FFA

content

� For all conventional recovery processes: use 3-phase decanter due to

lowest re-circulation volumes

� Use low quality oil only for producing oleo chemicals or biofuels

� Integrate CPO washing in your mill

� Change from physical to chemical refining

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