Dear Mr François, I used to know those things when I was area manager Europe, for MPOB, but that was years ago and legislation changes all the time. In UK I would suggest you contact the Food Standards Agency (FSA), or the equivalent in your country. The levels of dioxin in PFAD have been quite variable and some times worryingly high. Regards FP (09.06.2009)

Dear Mr Ansari, Your SMP is 5C too high. It is a pity you give me so little information. You would not go to a doctor and expect a diagnosis if you only told him you have a headache. The problem could be due to many causes. Check first your method of sampling and analysis , IV, SFC, fatty acid composition and the oil palm species. The other factors you mentioned could not make so much difference. If the high SMP is confirmed, test another 25 specimens (a good statistical sample) and submit an article to a scientific journal like JAOCS. You will make your name! Regards, FP (06.06.2009)

Dear Mr Echo, I can give you basic data on the properties and specifications of oils an fats but I regret I cannot give you free advice on matters usually done by consultants.. This is especially so in the case of large engineering companies working on $million contracts. Regards, FP (04.06.2009)

Dear Mr Zo, In regard to opportunities for the products you mention, I have been to Morocco on business many times. The country imports 400,000 tonnes oils and fats but only 20,000 tonnes PO, so there are great opportunities. On the other hand there is a strong, well entrenched local refining and margarine industry, with very good connections who will not want to see such imports. It will be up to you to win. In regard to business partners and supplies, there are plenty of them in Malaysia and Indonesia, but of course I cannot help you in such matters. Good luck. Regards, FP (01.06.2009)

Dear Mr Patel, Palm olein clouds at low temperature because nature made it more saturated than, say, SBO and there is no way to undo what nature has done. If any additive were found that helped a little, it would first need clearance from your government, after scientific testing and proof that it was perfectly safe to health and commercially desirable. Then the food regulations will have to be changed so as to permit its addition and you would have to declare that additive (chemical) on the product labels. Of course its cost will have to come out of your profit margin. As I mentioned to you earlier, your simplest and best course would be to change to super olein which has some of that solid removed. Regards, FP (16.06.2009)

Dear Mr Patel, Palm olein has a slip melting point (SMP) of about 22C and when the temperature drops to that level it begins to cloud progressively. It is its nature and the main reason it is cheaper than most seed oils. The only answer is to keep it warmer, or buy super olein which has a much lower SMP of about 15C. But is a little more expensive. Regards, FP (30.05.2009)

Dear Mr Baba, This is a legal question and if it is important for your business you better consult a Malaysian commercial lawyer. A simpler approach would be to look into a good Indian dictionary to see what is the definition of pooja oil. If there is no contradiction, them PO would be OK. For example if the word pooja means prayer, then PO would be OK. But if it is the name of a plant, then PO would not be OK. Incidentally, if the oil is in bottles, it is probably palm olein, not PO. Regards, FP (30.05.2009)

Dear Mr Lott, The density test method for oils and fats is too long to give it to you here and would also infringe copy right laws. You can buy it from AOCS in USA or from MPOB in Malaysia. In the Malaysian standard MS814:1994 and also in Codex, the temperature quoted is 50C. Regards, FP (01.06.2009)

Dear Mr Hazman, You have raised an interesting point. There are at least two or three different instruments (I know of) for SMP of oils and fats but there seem to be none for cloud point. Hand methods are primitive and the sooner they are abolished the better. I suppose the problem is the small demand, because cloud point is only used on palm olein. However now it is also used on biodiesel and this may change the situation.The petroleum industry may already have one and it may be worth your while asking a consultant in that industry. Regards, FP (28.05.2009)

Dear Mr Sin, Your question is interesting because the earliest use of PO in Europe was in UK for ship engine lubrication. In this use, vegetable oils have some advantages such as flatter viscosity/temperature curve, but also greater tendency for gumming and on the whole petroleum based lub. oils were found superior and replaced them. Your engine may now work well now but that is no proof it will last as long. Modern highly stressed engines are designed with modern lubricants in mind. My advice is to contact your engine manufacturers and do what they say, but most of them have not even approved biodiesel above B20 yet, so I am sure they will say "no". Regards, FP (26.05.2009)

Dear Mr Benchavitvilsi, You are supposed to ask one question but you are asking five. Also they are purely commercial and not suitable for these pages.1) The oleochemical suppliers are far too many to mention, never mind their location as well! 2) For up to date prices you can try searching this website and contacting some members.3) The price of CPO is given on this website and is also published in trade journals available on subscription. 4) No. Supply and demand are in balance because the price adjusts to the supply. But sellers might tell you different, naturally. 5) Sorry I do not understand the meaning of BDF. Regards, FP (25.05.2009)

Dear Mr Shah, You are asking three sets of questions requiring too many figures and calculations. Also I have difficulty understanding your questions because you have written the words cloud point and melting point between some figures., instead of before or after them. But if I am guessing your meaning correctly, my answers are as follows: 1) The cloud pt of palm olein is not mentioned in the PORAM specification and MPOB has never published the correlation. You will have to rely on what different suppliers tell you. 2) The melting points you mention for palm stearin are impossible. 3) Only the fig 50C is possible. Regards, FP (25.05.2009)

Dear Mr Richard, Higher colour value means lower quality while higher heating stability (ie lower colour after heating) means better quality, which is contradictory. Can you please confirm that is what you mean? Regards, FP (23.05.2009)

Dear Mr Martua, 1) The bleaching agent used is activated clay. 2) If you want to leave more carotene in the oil, you can use less clay and lower temperature which will save money as well. 3) What mostly affects the carotene content of the CPO are genetic factors, not fertiliser composition or anything else. 4) No, the carotene content is not quoted in selling specifications. 5) The degree of carotene removal in the bleaching step varies, but is usually less than 50%. Most of it is destroyed in the deodoriser, aiming for the lowest possible colour. As you seem to be young and have an enquiring mind, I suggest you read a book on the subject. Regards, FP (17.05.2009)

Dear Mr Aboul-ela, I assume you mean crude PO for which the Malaysian Standard gives a slip melting point of 33-39C. Regards, FP (17.05.2009)

Dear Meggielin Lin, Some times PO is hydrogenated to increase its MP and change some other properties. None of the PO on the market is hydrogenated unless it is described to be so. For edible purposes it is better to avoid hydrogenated oils as they contain trans fatty acids which are harmful to health. Regards, FP (17.05.2009)

Dear Mr Thair, I am surprised you have difficulty finding RBDPO in Malaysia. In 2007 the country exported 1.3 million tonnes of it. I suspect you are dealing with traders who are only supplying the domestic market. Try buying directly from a refinery. As for using olein in place of PO, that will make the soap softer and is also more expensive. Regards FP (14.05.2009)

Dear Mr Rudresh, I think this is patented technology and the only thing you can do is to find out who owns it and buy the licence to use it from them. Regards, FP (15.05.2009)

Dear Mr Saputro, I regret I cannot provide a free designing service for your company and neither can I send you drawings or anything else. I think you have a complete misconception of the purposes of this column. Please read again what it says at the top of this page. Regards, FP (14.05.2009)

Dear Mr Neupane, That type of information is published in the annual statistics of the ministry for agriculture of the countries involved. You can write to them and hope they will reply. I have the statistics for Malaysia because of my old connection with the MPOB, but not for other countries. For those, if necessary, I could make estimates. But mills come in a big range of sizes and what matters is their total output or capacity and not their number. Regards, FP (14.05.2009)