Effect of Sterilization Time and Temperature on Fatty Acids, Carotenoids and Vitamin E of Oil Extracted from Palm Fruit Irradiated by Microwave Energy

Palm fruit sterilization by microwave irradiation carries out very fast at temperature less than 100 degrees C. This study aims to evaluate nutritional value of palm oil obtained from this sterilization such as fatty acids composition, carotenoids content and vitamin E content (tocopherols and tocotrienol). In this study sterilization conducted at various decimal reduction time of lipase as follow 9; 10; 13; 15; and 17 min respectively. Time and temperature combination for sterilization were 9 min and 80 degrees C; 10 min and 79.5 degrees C; 13 min and 77 degrees C; 15 min and 73 degrees C; and 17 min and 70.5 degrees C respectively. This study observes fatty acids composition and tocopherols content are not influence by time and temperature increment. On the contrary, carotenoids greatly influence by temperature increment. Overall, nutrition content in this study meet standard of commercial palm oil.