Processing of Edible

Oil (Palm Oil)

CHAPTER 3
3.3 : Bleaching
 Bleaching is a process to remove
color, oxidizing bodies and pigments
such as carotenoids, chlorophyll,
residue phospatides, soaps, trace
metal, hyrdoperodxides and non
Introduction volatile matter by mixing oils with
special adsorbents such as silica,
bleaching earth and activated
carbon
Bleaching of edible oil cant used air
or chemicals as adsorbent
 Bleaching is an adsorption process.
Adsorption is a physical chemical
phenomenon that involves mass transport
of an adsorbate (solute adsorbed) from
the solution phase to the adsorbent
surface.
Depending on the chemical and physical
Theory of properties of both the compounds to be
Bleaching adsorbed and the adsorbent, the
adsorption process may proceed through
the following mechanisms: physical
adsorption, in which van der Waals forces
between molecules hold the adsorbed
species on the adsorbent; and
chemisorption, where a chemical bond is
formed between the adsorbate and the
adsorbent (3).
 Decomposition and dehydration, or
Theory of pseudoneutralization of peroxides
Bleaching during the oil-bleaching process,
have been also reported
 When thermodynamic equilibrium
is reached between the solution
and the adsorbent, no further net
adsorption occurs.
Equilibrium is governed by the
Theory of concentrations and properties of
Bleaching adsorbent and adsorbate, and the
temperature, viscosity, and pH of
the system. Several models (i.e.,
those of Langmuir, Brunauer-
Emmett-Teller, and Freundlich)
have been developed to describe
adsorption equilibrium
 The isotherm for this favourable
adsorption process is Langmuir
Isotherm. The assumption made when
deriving the Langmuir isotherm is that
the process happens at uniform
surface. However this relation only
works well for gases that a weakly
adsorbed (McCabe, 1993).
Theory of
For adsorption from liquids, Freundlich
Bleaching isotherm is applicable. This isothermis
of the strongly favourable type.
Bleaching of palm oil falls under this
type of isotherms as the bleaching
process are involving liquids (oils). The
equation for Freundlich isotherm for
bleaching process can be illustrated as
per below (Rossi et al., 2003);
 Bleaching process follow Freundlichs
Adsorption Isotherm:
The amount of pigment adsorbed
decrease with decreasing concentration
of pigment in the oil
In practice the adsorbents is mixed up
with the oil in the stir vessel.
Theory of
Bleaching
where x is the amount of pigment adsorbed,
m is the amount of adsorbent, and c is the
amount of residual pigment still in solution
(K and n are constants related to adsorptive
properties of the bleaching clay).
 Languir
Isotherm

Theory of
Bleaching Freundlich
Isotherm
 Selection of the bleachings
process and adsorbent depending
on:
Pretreatment
Desired quality of product
Bleaching Filtration speed
Oil retention by adsorbent
Can be 50 wt % on bleaching
earth
Can be 100 wt % on charcoal
 Condition of the process (optimum)
Lower concentration of gum (0.5-
1.0 %) used activated
Bleaching Possibility oxidize oil
Temp: 100C
Pressure: vacuum
Limited Oxygen
 The basic kinds of adsorbents used
in edible-oil bleaching are natural
bleaching earth, activated
bleaching earths, activated
carbon, and synthetic amorphous
Bleaching silica.
Agents Bleaching earth can be classified:
(Adsorbents) Natural
Activated
Natural bleaching earth-aluminum
silicates contains montmorillonite
[(Mg0.33, Al1.67) Si4O10(OH)2]Na0.33 ]
 Bentonite clays that exhibit adsorptive
properties in their natural state are
classified as natural bleaching earths.
Molecular lattice structure, macropore
structure, and particle size all affect the
capacity of earths to adsorb water, oil,
Natural phosphatides, soap, color bodies, and
Bleaching metals
Earth The better natural earths can absorb
15% of their own weight in pigments
and other impurities, but also retain
about 30% neutral oil.
The natural earths do not elevate the
free fatty acid content nor isomerize
unsaturated fatty acid groups;
 However, for dark or difficult to
adsorb pigments or impurities,
prohibitive levels of the natural
Natural earths are required, which make
Bleaching the activated materials more
Earth attractive.
 Bentonite clays are also used to
produce activated bleaching
earths, but the clays are a type
that contains a high proportion of
Activated montmorillonite.
Bleaching This hydrous aluminum silicate
Earth has considerable capacity for
exchanging part of the aluminum
for magnesium, alkalis, and other
bases.
 Most bentonites that exhibit high
natural bleaching power are not suitable
for activation, and most clays used for
activated clay products have a poor
natural bleaching activity.
Treatment, to varying degrees, with
Activated sulfuric or hydrochloric acid, washing,
Bleaching drying, and milling alter the bleaching
medias degree of acidity, adsorption
Earth capabilities, and particle size
distribution
An efficient bleaching earth is produced
with a surface of the correct chemical
composition and pore distribution
selectively attractive to the detrimental
components of the refined oils.
 Particle size is also a major physical
parameter affecting bleaching earth
performance.
The finest particle size clays have the
best bleaching power, but particles that
are too small create severe filtration
Activated problems and oil retention is increased.
Bleaching the adsorbent used should have as small
Earth a particle size as can be effectively
handled by the filter system
In practice, a compromise particle size
provides acceptable filtration
performance and minimizes oil loss
without diminishing bleaching
performance.
 A wide variety of carbonaceous raw
materials can be used to form
activated carbon by carbonization at
high temperatures, combined with
the use of activating materials, such
as phosphoric acid, metal salts, etc
The treated material is washed, dried,
Activated and ground to produce activated
carbon carbons of various pore sizes, internal
specific surface areas, and alkalinity or
acidity.
Most processors use carbon sparingly
due to problems with filtration,
relatively high cost, and high oil
retention; carbon can retain up to
150% of its weight of oil
 When utilized, it is normally added
in combination with bleaching
earths at 5 to 10% of the earth
volume
Activated Carbon is effective in adsorbing
carbon certain impurities not affected by
earths, for example, some aromatic
materials that are not volatilized by
deodorization can be satisfactorily
removed with activated carbon.
 Silica is a chemically inert synthetic
amorphous silica adsorbent with an
affinity for polar contaminants.
The surface area, porosity, and
moisture content of the silica
adsorbents provide them the capability
Silica of adsorbing secondary oxidation
Adsorbent products (aldehydes, ketones),
phosphatidic compounds, sulfur
compounds, trace metals, and soap.
The function of the moisture is to hold
the pores open and aid in the attraction
of the polar contaminants.
 Most of the synthetic silicas do not
have significant direct adsorption
capabilities for carotenoid or
chlorophyll compounds, but the
removal of the other impurities
Silica enhances the efficiency of the
Adsorbent bleaching earths
The silica is introduced prior to
adding the bleaching earth.
This usage also reduces the amount
of bleaching earth required for the
removal of color bodies
 3 common methods types of
contact bleaching methods used
for edible fats and oils are:
Bleaching Batch atmospheric
Methods Batch vacuum
Continuous vacuum
 Oil at approximately 160F (71C) is
pumped into an open-top tank
equipped with steam coils, or a steam
jacket, and a paddle agitator
Bleaching earth is added from the top
of the tank with the agitator running
Batch
Atmospheric The temperature is raised to bleaching
temperature and maintained for a short
time
The oil is recirculated through a filter
press and back to the bleaching vessel
until the oil is clear, then it is pumped to
storage
Batch
Atmospheric
 Bleaching earth is added to an agitated
slurry tank containing a small portion of
the refined oil at 160F (71C).
This slurry is transferred to the vacuum
bleacher, which contains the balance of
the oil batch.
Batch The bleaching vessel is equipped with
Vacuum coils or a steam jacket, an agitator, and
a vacuum system.
After the prescribed time at bleaching
temperature under vacuum, the
bleached oil batch is cooled to 160F
(71C), the vacuum is broken, and the
oil is filtered.
Batch
Vacuum
 Bleaching clay is continuously fed
into a stream of oil at 160F (71C),
and this mixture is sprayed into a
vacuum chamber to remove both
water and air from the clay and the
oil.
Continuous The product temperature is raised
Vacuum to bleaching temperature with a
heat exchanger and then sprayed
into a second chamber for
bleaching.
After the bleaching retention time,
it is filtered in a closed-type filter
and cooled before the vacuum is
broken.
Continuous
Vacuum
Bleaching
Process
 The oil will enter Bleaching Heater
before entering the Adsorbent Mix Tank
where it is mixed with a special soap
and gum attracting adsorbent (silica).
The oil and adsorbent mixture enters
the Prefiltration Dryer where the
moisture in the oil and adsorbent is
Bleaching evaporated.
Process The dry oil and adsorbent mixture is
filtered in one of the three Adsorbent
Filters removing the spent adsorbent.
This filter has previously been used to
separate bleaching earth and already
has a layer (packed bed) of earth on
the leaves that is still active.
 This first filtration results in a
press effect that starts the
bleaching process (Pre-Bleaching)
before fresh earth has been added.
When combined with the silica
treatment, this reduces earth
consumption by as much as 50%. In
Bleaching cases when the special adsorbents
Process are not available, the Mix Tank and
Discharge Pump are simply by-
passed.
Most of the savings from Pre-
Bleaching are still realized. The
filtered oil is further heated in the
Bleaching
 Heater before entering the Bleacher
where it is mixed with bleaching earth.
The earth adsorbs pro-oxidants, color
bodies and other residual impurities.
The Bleacher has multiple agitated
compartments and also operates
Bleaching under vacuum to ensure complete
moisture and air removal. The oil and
Process earth mixture is filtered in another one
of the three Adsorbent Filters.
The bleached and filtered oil is sent to
intermediate storage via one of the
alternating Polish Filters and, typically,
an economizer located upstream in
degumming or neutralizing.
 The system includes three filters of which
two are on line (one for adsorbent and
pre-bleaching, the other for bleaching
earth) while the third is being cleaned and
prepared for the next cycle. A filter begins
its cycle by filtering oil from the Bleacher.
When a layer of earth has been
accumulated on the filter leaves, the flow
Bleaching from the Bleacher is switched to a fresh
Process filter. The partially filled filter, now with a
packed bed of bleaching earth, is then
ready to be used for removing adsorbent
as described above.
When the filter that is on line for this
purpose has reached its maximum
capacity it is taken off line for cleaning
and replaced by the next partially filled
filter
Bleaching
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BEFORE AFTER