USING CELLULASES AND PECTINASES IN THE PRODUCTION OF PALM OIL

The traditional process used in oil extraction from palm fruit gives rise to oil losses in fibre coming from the press and during the clarification step of crude juice obtained from the press. In the present work was studied the use of non lipolytic enzymes in connection with the traditional process, in order to reduce these oil losses. The composition of mesocarp and press products (fibre and crude juice) were first determined so as to speculate those of the non lipid components the enzymatic hydrolysis of which might reduce the oil losses. The efficiency of two commercial cellulase and pectinase preparations was then compared, acting either separately or together, on mesocarp or on crude juice, or on mesocarp and crude juice. The optimal conditions for enzyme action with respect to pH, temperature, reaction time and enzyme concentration were evaluated. The best results were obtained by mixing cellulase preparation with mesocarp, at 55-degrees-C for 30 min, without pH adjustment. The further steps were the same ones as in the traditional process. In these conditions, the oil losses in press fibre and during clarification of crude juice were, respectively, 3% and 18% lower than in the traditional precess without enzymes.