Palm Oil Fruit Classification Using Component Analysis Approach

Lily Amelia
Department of Industrial Engineering, Faculty of Engineering
University of Esa Unggul
lily.amelia@esaunggul.ac.id

Muhammad Ridwan Andi Purnomo

Department of Industrial Engineering, Faculty of Engineering
Indonesia Islamic University
ridwan_64@yahoo,com

ABSTRACT
The degree of palm oil fruit ripeness is a major factor that affects to the amount of crude palm oil losses during
processing. Based on its ripeness, palm oil fruit can be classified into five fractions, namely fraction 00, 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 and
5. Currently, palm oil fruit sorting system in most of palm oil mills in Indonesia is based on visual observation by
operator. This may lead to a less accuracy in palm oil fruit ripeness determination that impacts to a low quality and
quantity of crude palm oil production. This research aims to develop a model for palm oil fruit ripeness classification
using Component Analysis (CA) approach. CA model was developed based on interview and observation in palm oil
mill PT. Perkebunan Nusantara (PTPN) VII in South Sumatra, Indonesia. Some samples of palm oil fruit image in each
fraction were taken and preprocessed by resizing and convert the images to gray scale images. CA model was
developed using software MATLAB v.7 through some stages as follow: to set up database images and evaluated images,
determine covariance matrix of database images, determine eigen value and eigen vector of database images, and
compare the evaluated images and database images based on the minimum Euclidean Distance value. The results
indicate that CA approach can identify unaccepted fruits which are fraction 00, 0 and 5 and accepted fruits which are
fraction 1, 2, 3 and 4 very accurately.
Keywords: Crude palm oil, fruit classification, pattern recognition, component analysis

1 INTRODUCTION
Indonesia is one of the biggest crude palm oil (CPO) producer in the world besides Malaysia.
In 2009, Indonesia and Malaysia produce 85 % of total world production. In 2008, Indonesia
produced around 19.330.000 tonne CPO,with the number of export is around 14.470.000 tonne [1].
Consequently, CPO is one of strategic agro industry commodity that needs to be developed in order
to increase its production.
Crude palm oil and palm kernel are produced 0through some stages of production as follow:
sterilization, threshing, digesting, pressing, clarification and palm kernel processing [2]. In recent
years, palm oil processing in most of palm oil mill in Indonesia still use manual and semi automatic
technology. Even in other countries such as Malaysia, most of palm oil mill also pay very little
attention to the automation in palm oil processing [3].
This situation implies to a high percentage of palm oil losses during processing and low
quality of crude palm oil production. As an example, palm oil loss during sterilisation process is
influenced by the percentage of unripe fruit, sterlisation time and steam pressure [2]. If the
percentage of unripe fruit is high, then sterilisation process requires a longer sterilisation time and
high steam pressure. Otherwise, the percentage of oil loss during sterilisation is high. In contrast,
if the palm oil fruit is very ripe, the quality of palm oil fruit will be low caused by high free fatty
acid in the palm oil.

Unfortunately, palm oil fruit sorting system in most of palm oil mills in Indonesia is done
manually by operator through direct visual inspection to some samples of palm oil fruit. This leads
to inaccuracy in observation. Therefore, the unavailability of good palm oil fruit sorting system
leads to a low quality and quantity of palm oil production.
To overcome this problem, an automated censor system for palm oil fruit sorting system is
required to be developed. This automated sorting system will reduce palm oil losses during
processing and improve palm oil quality. In order to develop an automated censor system for palm
oil fruit sorting system, a model for classification of palm oil fruit based on its ripeness need to be
developed. This study aims to develop a model for palm oil fruit ripeness classification system
using Component Analysis (CA) approach.
Component Analysis (CA) method is used to identify data image based on its patterns and
express these data images based on their similarities and differences.
CA is very useful in
analyzing data image because the data image can be compressed by reducing its dimension without
losing any initial information of the data [4].
CA method has ability in identifying inconsistent and more complex data image. Component
analysis works by reducing data dimension and identify main components of data image.
Component Analysis method that is combined with Artificial Neural Network method was applied
in some studies such as in face detection study by Jiang [5] and in CT scan analysis of Beligna
brain tumor [6].
2 CRUDE PALM OIL PROCESSING
Crude palm oil (CPO) and palm kernel are yielded from fresh fruit bunches of palm oil that
undergo several stages of processing. After the fresh fruit bunches of palm oil are loaded into the
loading ramp, the fresh fruit bunches are sterilised in a steriliser in order to separate fruit from
bunches. During the sterilising process, steam at a temperature 140 OC is used to produce the
sterilised fruit bunches. The steam pressure and sterilising time are dependent on the amount of
unripe fruits in the fresh fruit bunches. A higher percentage of unripe fruit means that the sterilising
process needs a longer sterilising time and a higher pressure.
The sterilised fruit bunches are then conveyed into a thresher using a hoisting crane where the
fruit is threshed in a stripper drum. The centrifugal force exerted on the bunches is sufficient to
raise them to the top of the drum whence they fall to the bottom and scatter their fruit. Fruits are
then carried into a digester, while the empty bunches are conveyed to a hopper before they are
brought out of the factory.
The fruits are then digested in a digester in order to separate nuts from the fruits. After the
digesting process, the fruits are then carried into a screw press by a feed screw conveyor. Because
of screw press pressure, the mixture of fruits and nuts are pressed so that the crude oil is separated
from fibre and nuts. Crude oil resulted from pressing is carried into a clarification station, while the
press cake, which is a mixture of fibre and nuts, is transferred into the kernel station through a cake
breaker conveyor.
Press cake from the screw press that consists of the mixture of fibre and nuts is carried into
the kernel station by a cake breaker conveyor. Thereafter, the fibre and nuts are separated in a
deppericarper and entered the nut silo in order to reduce the water content. Nuts are broken in a
ripple mill to obtain the kernel. The mixture of kernel and shell is then separated using double
stage light tension density separation (LTDS). Based on specific gravity difference, the light
particles such as shell can be removed and separated from the kernel. Finally, kernel is dried in a
kernel dryer before it is stored.
The succesful of sterilisation process depends on the accurate prediction of palm oil fruit
ripeness, sterilisation time and steam pressure.
Palm oil fruit classification is made based on
visual characteristic of palm oil fresh fruit bunch [2]. Palm oil fresh fruit bunch is categorised into
7 (seven) fraction as can be seen at Table 1. In palm oil processing, fraction 1 to 4 are accepted
because they produce more oil extraction and good quality of crude palm oil.

Table 1 Palm Oil Fruit Classification

Fraction
Ripeness grade
00
Very unripe
0
Unripe
1
Less ripe
2
Ripe I
3
Ripe II
4
Very ripe
5
Too ripe
Source : Naibaho [2]

Visual characteristic
0 % of outer fruit is separated from bunch, black red color
1 - 12.5 % of outer fruit is separated from bunch
12.5 25 % of outer fruit is separated from bunch
25 50 % of outer fruit is separated from bunch
50 75 % of outer fruit is separated from bunch
75 - 100 % of outer fruit is separated from bunch
Inner fruit is also separated

3 RESEARCH METHOD
This research is conducted through some stages as follow: problem identification, data
collection, image pre-processing and Component Analysis model development. Flowchart of
research can be seen at Figure 1.
Data was collected from palm oil mill PT. Perkebunan Nusantara VII (PTPN VII) that located
in Betung Bentayan, Musi Banyuasin, South Sumatra. Qualitative data such as palm oil fruit
characteristics and its impacts to the production process was collected from interview with some
personnel in Production and Quality Control departments.
There are 21 samples of palm oil fresh fruit bunches image were taken for data training and
21 samples for data testing. Images were taken using digital camera 10 MegaPixel. Preprocessing
palm oil fruit images consists of resizing and gray scaling steps. The image size was resized into
200x188 pixels. After that, color images were converted to gray scale images.
Palm oil fruit is categorised into two categorizes: accepted and unaccepted. The accepted
fractions include fraction 1, 2, 3 and 4, while the unaccepted fractions are fraction 00, 0 and 5.
Identification of both categorizes is conducted using Component Analysis method through some
steps as follow:
1. Preprocess palm oil fruit data images.
2. Reduce data image dimension by subtracting all X values with mean X and all Y values by
mean Y.
3. Determine covariance matrix Cnxn whereas :
Cnxn = cov(Dimi, Dimj)
For example covariance matrix of 3 dimension x, y and z are :

C =

Cov(x,x)
Cov(y,x)
Cov (z,x)

Cov(x,y)
Cov(y,y)
Cov(z,y)

Cov(x,z)
Cov(y,z)
Cov(z,z)

whereas :
n

(X
Cov(x,y) =

X )(Yi Y )

i 1

n 1

4. Determine eigen values () and eigen vector (C).

5. Sequence eigen values from the highest value to the smallest one and choose eigen vector that
correspond with these eigen values.
6. Find out main component P based on eigen value that is obtained in step 5.

7. Determine euclidean distance of eigen values between data testing images and data training
images.

Figure 1: Stages of Research

Model was developed using software MATLAB v.7. Samples of palm oil fruit image were
placed in two folders which are Train and Test folders. Palm oil fruit images in Train folder were
recognised using CA procedures. Samples in Test folder were compared with images in data
training folders by determining euclidian distance of eigen values of images in Train folder and
eigen values of test images. The identification of palm oil fruit images in Test folder is based on
the the minimum Euclidian Distance values.
4 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Based on interviews in palm oil mill and from literatures, palm oil fruit ripeness attributes can
be identified visually based on the number of outer fruit separated from the bunch as indicated in
Table 1. Palm oil fruit fraction 00 has 0 % of fruit separated from the bunch and has shiny dark red
color. Fraction 0 has 1-12.5%, while in fraction 1 it is around 12.5 25 %. The percentage of
separated fruit is 25 50 % in fraction 2, 50-75% in fraction 3 and 75 100 % in fraction 4. In
fraction 5, all of outer is separated so as inner fruit (Figure 2).
Fraction 1, 2, 3 and 4 are categorised as accepted fruit, while unaccepted fruit is fraction 00,
0 and 5. Fraction 1 to 4 produce high quantity and quality of crude palm oil. Fraction 00 is very

unripe and has 0% oil rendement, while fraction 5 contains high percentage of free fatty acid that
leads to a low crude palm oil quality.

00

Figure 2: Palm Oil Fruit Fraction 00 to 5

Based on observation and interview with palm oil mill personnels, the identification of palm
oil fruit ripeness using direct visual observation is very difficult. Only fraction 00 and 5 can be
easily identified by operator. Most of fruit fraction 00 has dark shiny red colour, while almost all of
outer fruits in fraction 5 are separated from their bunches that make them ease to identify. Fraction
0, 1, 2 and 3 have no unique colour and also the colour of fruits within one fraction can be different
between one fruit and another fruit. In these fractions, the number of fruit separated from the bunch
is also difficult to identify. Therefore, Component Analysis (CA) technique is suitable for palm oil
images recognition because its ability in identifying complex images such as palm oil fruit.
CA model was developed using MATLAB v.7. In the MATLAB, 21 samples of palm oil
fruit images are put into folder train and 21 samples of palm oil fruit images for evaluation purpose
are placed into folder test as depicted in Figure 3. CreateDatabase.m file contains commands for
reading palm oil images in Train folder, convert RGB image into gray image and then convert data
into one dimension vector.
EigenfactorCore.m file contains CA commands to identify palm oil fruit images in Train
folder which is to determine covariance matrix, eigen value and eigen vector of each image.
Recognition.m file contains commands for evaluation of images in folder test by determining the
minimum Euclidean Distance between eigen values of images in folder train and eigen values of
images in folder test. The minimum Euclidean Distance indicates there is a similarity between an
image in folder test and one image in folder train.

Figure 3: CA Program in MATLAB

Dialog in MATLAB will ask user to select location of database images in folder train (Figure
4) and in folder test (Figure 5). After that, user is also asked to input an image in folder test to be
evaluated. For example, as can be seen in Figure 6, sample image number 3 is selected to be
evaluated.

Figure 4: Dialog Box to Select Train Folder

Figure 5: Dialog Box to Select Test Folder

Figure 6: Selecting An Evaluated Image

Based on steps 1 to 7 in CA procedure, MATLAB will process the selected image and will
recognize that image as accepted fruit or unaccepted fruit. The results indicate that Component
Analysis (CA) method can recognize all of palm oil fruit images in folder test as an accepted fruit
or an unaccepted fruit very accurately. For example, image number 3 in folder test can be
recognized as unaccepted fruit (Figure 7). Image number 3 is compared with all images in folder
train. The result shows that image number 3 in folder test has a minimum euclidean distance value
with image number 19 in folder train which is 3.45x1015 (see Table 2). This means image number
3 in folder test has similarity with image number 19 in folder train. Image number 19 in folder train
is a palm oil fruit fraction 5 that is categorised as unaccepted fruit.

Figure 7: Palm Oil Fruit Classification Result

Table 2 The Euclidean Distance Value between Image Number 3 in Folder Test and All Images in
Folder Train
Image number in
train folder
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10

Euclidean distance
(x 1016)
2.3403
3.3865
3.3418
4.5384
8.8858
4.3123
5.1884
6.7910
3.5015
5.0315

Image number in
train folder
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20

Euclidean distance
(x 1016)
3.6898
4.4078
4.0444
4.3512
3.8260
3.7019
4.2768
5.8006
0.3450
3.6621

5 CONCLUSION
Identification of palm oil fruit ripeness is important because the percentage of unripe fruit will
influence the quality and quantity of crude palm oil production. The identification of palm oil fruit
categorization is very complex because it is not easy to identify the fraction based on its color and
the percentage of fruit separated from the bunch especially for fruit fraction 1, 2 and 3. Component
Analysis (CA) method can be applied in recognition a complex image such as palm oil fruit. The
proposed model of palm oil fruit classification using CA approach is able to recognise accepted and
unaccepted palm oil fruit very accurately.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The authors would like to thank to the Directorate General of Higher Education, Ministry of
National Education of Indonesia for sponsoring this research under Competitive Research Grant
2011.
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Naibaho, P.M., 1998, Teknologi Pengolahan Kelapa Sawit, Palm Oil Research Centre Medan, Medan.

[3]

Kandiah, S., M. Hasan and M. Yaacob, 1992, Overview of automation in a palm oil mill the sterilisation
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Smith, L., 2002, A Tutorial on Principal Component

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