Effects of Processing Methods on the Quality of Palm Oil in Ghana

Abstract

Palm oil samples from GOPDC, TOPP and two traditional methods (Kyembe and Bedo) were analysed using the following quality indices: moisture content, refractive index, percentage FFA, peroxide value and TBA value. They were examined with regards to the determination of the effect of industrial processing methods on the quality of palm oil; the effect of traditional processing methods on the quality of palm oil; the relative efficacy of the processes in the production of good quality crude palm oil. Processing altered significantly better the physical indices o f quality (moisture content, refractive index) in all the processes (GOPDC, TOPP, Kyembe and Bedo). There was no significant alterations in the chemical indices o f quality in all the processes except in FFA for TOPP, which produced significant differences in the percent FFA which ranged from 2.34 percent to 2.66 percent. Using their final stages of processing (storage tank stage for industrial processes; and "frying" stage for Kyembe and boiling stage for Bedo) the industrial methods produced significantly better quality palm oil than the traditional methods with regards to moisture content (industrial processes 2.40 percent; traditional processes, 5.32 percent PO.V. (industrial processes 2.94m Eq/Kg, traditional processes, 3.05m Eq/Kg) TBA values (industrial processes, 0.14; traditional processes 0.16). It was recommended that traditional processors be informed as to the effect of certain practices they engage in on the quality of their oil; traditional methods of processing palm oil in the palm oil producing zones be researched into; and the refined, bleached and deodorised method be included in a future study to bring the whole study to its logical conclusion.