Applications of New Short Path Stripping Technology in Edible Oil Processing

Описание: Presented at the 2021 AOCS Annual Meeting & Expo Industry Updates Session
annualmeeting.aocs.org

Presenting Author:
Ernesto M. Hernandez, MS, PhD
Principal Consultant
Advanced Lipid Consultants
Tomball, TX

Thin film evaporation and short path distillation address challenges associated with processing heat-sensitive oils that require short residence times, high heat and mass transfer coefficients and shorter contact times. This processes normally operate at lower temperatures and higher vacuums in the processing heat-sensitive oils like omega 3 oils and now are also widely used in the removal of processing and environmental contaminants from oils like palm, soybean and other marine oils.

Artisan’s new short path stripping SPS technology, with internal multistage and condensing capabilities, takes advantage of both principles, namely short path distillation and thin film evaporation. The SPS offers several advantages over commercial molecular distillation and deodorizer systems including applications in the removal of contaminants, physical refining and recovery and concentration of omega 3 ethyl esters.

The new SPS system was tested on a variety of vegetable oils and temperature-sensitive products, including palm, soybean and omega 3 oils for the removal of processing contaminants in soybean and palm oils -MCDPs and GEs-, removal of free fatty acids for physical refining and concentration of ethyl ester of omega 3 fatty acids. The oils were analyzed for fatty acid composition, MCPDs, GEs, free fatty acids, mono and diglycerides, peroxide value, anisidine value, color and flavor. The omega 3 ethyl esters were analyzed for fatty acid composition, free fatty acids, peroxide value and anisidine value. The resulting oils met commercial quality specifications for refined oils including reduction of free fatty acids from 3.87 % to greater than 0.1 % in palm oil. Regulatory specs for MCPDs and GEs were also successfully met and the SPS system effectively concentrated omega 3 ethyl esters to over 50 % EPA and DHA.