Palm and Palm Kernel Oil Production and Processing in Brazil

Publisher Summary Oil palm trees belong to the family of plants known as Palmae or Palmaceae and to the genus Elaeis, which is composed of two species: Elaeis guineensis and Elaeis oleifera, the former being the most commonly found and cultivated in Brazil, comprising the major Brazilian oil palm tree (dendezeiro) crop. The physical and chemical properties of palm oil and palm kernel oil extracted from plants cultivated on Brazilian soil show a considerable variation in terms of the identification and quality parameters such as acid value, peroxide value, iodine value, and saponification value. The Brazilian fruit has approximately 24 different fatty acids making up the composition of the palm oil and 18 in the palm kernel oil. Due to its climate and vast land area, Brazil has been outstanding in the production of palm oil, especially among Latin American countries. Strategically, the plants from which oil is extracted have been located near to the cultivation areas. After extraction, crude oil is subjected to various processes for the obtaining of oil for food products, feed, and other non-food uses. The processing of crude oil is accomplished through continuous physical refining comprising acid pre-treatment, bleaching/filtration, and deodorization. However, there are still many challenges for the production of palm oil in Brazil. Globally, productivity has been low and the culture has shown falling prices and rising costs, especially for family farms.