BLEACHING OF PALM OIL USING ACTIVATED CHARCOAL

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Palm oil is one of the various types of vegetable oils, belonging to the group called liquids, because of its fatty acids content. The majority of the fats contains some colouring matter either as a natural constituent or discoloration produced during the processing. Natural pigments present in vegetable oils are mainly the carotenoid, giving yellow and red colours, and the chlorophylls which give green colours. Colour deterioration can also take place during the extraction process, especially in the local method of extraction used in the most parts of the Eastern region in Nigeria. Removal or reduction of colours and other components, otherwise called ‘Bleaching” is necessary not only because a pale-coloured fat has an appeal of ‘purity’ but also because the colours of the fat can influence the appearance of prepared food and even more importantly, the pigment present may affect the flavour and stability of the fats and food made from it.

The decolouration (bleaching) could be achieved by chemical treatment, heat treatment and adsorption methods. The most effective and widely used being the later. Thus, in this research project, bleaching by adsorption is carred out using an “Activated charcoal” (an adsorbent), a kind of active carbon, to substitute the use of local clays and the imported ‘Fuller’s Earth – in Palm Oil bleaching, which are rather expensive.
The charcoal can be produced from different sources as from, coal, wood, bone, coconut shell, etc. It would be verified the most suitable form and type of charcoal for effective bleaching and the most favourable condition at which the “activated charcoal could be used, which in them affects the bleach ability’ of the Palm oil itself.

1.2 OBJECTIVE
The objective / aim of this research project is to verify the effectiveness of ‘Activated charcoal’ in the bleaching of palm oil. It will also expose the improvement in the use of local raw material (charcoal) in a chemical process (bleaching), in lien of the imported fuller’s Earth or other adsorbents which more expensive.

1.3 SCOPE OF THE STUDY
Basically, this, study dwells on the colours reduction of Palm oil, using an Activated charcoal as an adsorbent (bleaching agent). The major raw materials, Palm oil and charcoal were locally sourced, and information as regards the process were obtained form the literary and other resourceful materials (texts) that treats ‘Adsorption’ as a chemical process.