Crude palm oil characteristics and chlorophyll content

✍ Scribed by Tan, Y A; Chong, C L; Low, K S

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1997
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 361 KB
• Volume: 75
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0022-5142
• DOI: 10.1002/(sici)1097-0010(199711)75:3<281::aid-jsfa875>3.0.co;2-a

✦ Synopsis

The chlorophyll (CHL) content in palm oil extracted from oil palm fruits, Elaeis guineensis, at various stages of ripeness was determined. It was found that oils from ripe fruits of the same age contained di †erent levels of CHL. In addition it was noted that fruits from palms planted at the centre and those at the edge of the Ðeld seemed to ripen at di †erent rates. Those at the centre of the Ðeld contained higher levels of CHL when compared with those of the same age produced at the edge of the Ðeld. This phenomenon could be due to topographical e †ects whereby the palms at the edge of the Ðeld were exposed to much more sunlight. This probably hastened the process of fruit ripening. A survey on CHL levels in commercial CPO samples supplied by mills showed the presence of CHL in all samples analysed. The range observed was between 250 and 1800 kg kg~1 with a mean value of 930 ^107 kg kg~1. This implied wide variations in the ripeness of palm fruits processed by the mills.