Abstract:
Red palm oil (RPO) is a refined palm oil without bleaching process in order to maintain minor compounds, especially β-carotene. However, the refining process was not only able to maintain the β-carotene, but also other minor compounds, and influence chemical characteristics and fatty acids composition in RPO. The objective of this research was to study the changes of minor compounds, chemical characteristics, and fatty acids composition in RPO which is produced without bleaching process in Pilot Plant of Oil and Fat Laboratory, SEAFAST Center, Bogor, Indonesia. The refining process was conducted following previous research, including degumming, deacidification, deodorisation, and fractionation. The results showed that refining process was able to maintain the content of carotene, tocol and chlorophyll which were lower than crude palm oil (CPO). RPO contains total carotene 558.61±8.65 mg/kg, chlorophyll 3.81±0.11 mg/kg, and tocol compounds 698.76±3.56 mg/kg which consist of -tocopherol 190.82±10.02 mg/kg, -tocotrienol 115.09±2.52 mg/kg, -tocotrienol 290.28±5.32 mg/kg, and -tocotrienol 102.01±2.82 mg/kg. The refining procces also reduced the damage of hydrolytic and oxidation, and compositions of saturated fatty acids in RPO which were lower than CPO. RPO has free fatty acid 0.14±0.00%, peroxide 0.84±0.06 mek O2/kg, p-anisidine 8.74±0.10, Totox 10.35±0.12, and TBARS values 0.03±0.00 mg/kg. Fatty acids composition of RPO were palmitic 35.82%, stearic 3.90%, oleic 40.33%, linoleic 11%, and linolenic acids 0.30% with saturated:unsaturated fatty acids ratio of 45:55. Minor compounds, chemical characteristics, and fatty acids composition have an important role in oxidative stability of RPO
