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Crude palm oil characteristics and chlorophyll content
Author(s) -
Tan Y A,
Chong C L,
Low K S
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
journal of the science of food and agriculture
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.782
H-Index - 142
eISSN - 1097-0010
pISSN - 0022-5142
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1097-0010(199711)75:3<281::aid-jsfa875>3.0.co;2-a
Subject(s) - ripeness , elaeis guineensis , ripening , palm oil , chlorophyll , palm , horticulture , botany , chlorophyll a , biology , food science , physics , quantum mechanics
The chlorophyll (CHL) content in palm oil extracted from oil palm fruits, Elaeis guineensis , at various stages of ripeness was determined. It was found that oils from ripe fruits of the same age contained different levels of CHL. In addition it was noted that fruits from palms planted at the centre and those at the edge of the field seemed to ripen at different rates. Those at the centre of the field contained higher levels of CHL when compared with those of the same age produced at the edge of the field. This phenomenon could be due to topographical effects whereby the palms at the edge of the field were exposed to much more sunlight. This probably hastened the process of fruit ripening. A survey on CHL levels in commercial CPO samples supplied by mills showed the presence of CHL in all samples analysed. The range observed was between 250 and 1800 μg kg −1 with a mean value of 930±107 μg kg −1 . This implied wide variations in the ripeness of palm fruits processed by the mills. ©1997 SCI