MACAUBA PULP OIL BLEACHING USING COMMERCIAL ADSORBENT AND ACTIVATED CARBON FROM ENDOCARP OF THE OWN FRUIT

Abstract

Macauba Palm (Acrocomia aculeata) is a promising source of vegetable oil with production capacity of up to 5000 kg/ha. The refining process is essential to impurities removal and also to obtain oil with color more appreciated by consumers. Covering a literature failing, the aim of this study was to investigate the Macauba pulp oil refining focusing at bleaching stage by assessing the temperature effect and amount of commercial adsorbent. Further was evaluated the use of activated carbon produced from the endocarp of own Macauba fruit as a partial replacer of bleaching earths. Conventional methods were employed and results were analyzed considering bleaching capacity, acidity index and phosphorus content. The use of 6% commercial adsorbent at 90 oC led to a bleaching capacity about 84% while the use of a commercial adsorbent mixed with activated carbon resulted in a bleaching capacity superior to 90% and with greater percentage of phospholipids removal.

Keywords

• oil refining
• oil bleaching
• Acrocomia aculeata
• Macauba pulp oil
• activated carbon.