Mitigation Studies Based on the Contribution of Chlorides and Acids to the Formation of 3-MCPD, 2-MCPD, and Glycidyl Esters in Palm Oil

This study aimed to evaluate the influence of chloride ions and acids on the formation of 3-MCPD, 2-MCPD, and glycidyl esters in palm oil as well as the use of metals, adsorbents, salts, amino acids, and anhydrous ethanol to simultaneously mitigate the levels of the compounds during deodorization. The concentrations of 3-MCPD and 2-MCPD esters increased more sharply in the presence of chloride (hydrochloric acid or sodium chloride). The use of zinc oxide caused a small reduction (8.5%) in 3-MCPD esters, whereas metallic zinc favored the formation of all contaminants. The levels of the substances were significantly reduced in the presence of potassium acetate (up to 98.7%), and the use of glycine decreased the concentration of chloropropanols esters by 43.8%. Anhydrous ethanol used as a stripping agent reduced the levels of 3-MCPD, 2-MCPD, and glycidyl esters by 49%, 54%, and 31%, respectively, indicating a promising strategy to mitigate these contaminants.