Physicochemical Characteristics of Malaysian Crude Palm Kernel Oil

This study was carried out to determine the physicochemical properties of Malaysian crudepalm kernel oil (CPKO). The physicochemical properties showed that the free fatty acid(FFA%) of 3.7±0.1%, acid value of 10.4±0.1 mg/g, iodine value of 20.8±0.6 mg/g, hydroxylvalue of 45.06±0.3 mg/g, refractive index at 28°C of g/ml, 1.455, moisturecontent of0.5±0.1%, viscosity at 28°C of 40 cP, Lovibond colour (R/Y) at 28°C of 0.5R–20Y. The gaschromatography-flame ionisation detector was used to determine the fatty acid composition inCPKO. The results showed that the dominant fatty acids are lauric acid (44.5±0.7%), oleic acid(18.0±0.5%), myristic acid (16.9±0.1%) and palmitic acid (9.4±0.2%). The majortriacylglycerols (TAGs) of CPKO estimated using high-performance liquid chromatographywere LaLaLa (32.91%), LaLaM (23.59), LaOLa (9.93%) and CLaLa (9.10%). The differentialscanning calorimetry showed that the crystallisation of CPKO displayed two major exothermicregions of CPKO with the saturated TAG at 6.11°C and the unsaturated TAG at-2.10°C. Themelting curve of CPKO displayed two endothermicpeak regions at 9.13°C and 24.08°C.