CHE321 OLEOCHEMICAL TECHNOLOGY

ASSIGNMENT 2
NAME: JAWIDAH ADIBA BINTI KAMAROLZEMAN
STUDENT ID: 2014661262

QUESTION:
a) Explain briefly the terms below:
i. Oleochemicals
Answer: An oleochemical is any chemical that has been derived from fats and oils. Widely
used in the Home and Personal Care industries, oleochemicals can also be used as a raw
material or as an intermediary for the pharmaceutical, rubber, plastic, paint and lubricant
industries.
ii. Oils and fats
Answer: An oil is any neutral, nonpolar chemical substance that is a viscous liquid at ambient
temperatures and is both hydrophobic and lipophilic. Oils have a high carbon and hydrogen
content and are usually flammable. Fat is a natural oily or greasy substance occurring in
animal bodies, especially when deposited as a layer under the skin or around certain organs.

b) Show the reaction involves in oils/fats spesificcally for the following:

i) Hydrogenation
Answer: Hydrogenation converts alkenes to alkanes. So, hydrogenation of unsaturated oils
produces saturated fats. Hydrogenation is typically carried out by bubbling H2 gas through
the heated oil, in the presence of a metal catalyst (such as nickel or platinum). Unsaturated
oils are usually only partially hydrogenated, so that the product is not completely saturated,
giving a soft semisolid fat such as margarine
ii) Oxidation
Answer: Oxidation is the loss of electrons or an increase in oxidation state by a molecule,
atom, or ion. Reduction is the gain of electrons or a decrease in oxidation state by a molecule,
atom, or ion.

iii) Hydrolysis
Answer: Fats and oils contain ester groups which can be hydrolyzed with aqueous acid,
aqueous base (saponification) or enzymes. The hydrolysis products are glycerol and three
fatty acids

c) List down five (5) purpose of sterilization in the production of crude palm oil (CPO)
from fresh fruits bunch (FFB).
Answer:
1. the destruction of all pathogenic organisms together with spoilage/non-pathogenic
microorganisms.
2. to achieve the Safe Preservation at Room Temperature of treated products.
3. Prevents any transfer or cross contamination by unwanted or unintended bacteria
4. Prevent infections
d) The most serious types of quality deterioration occurring in bulk storage of crude
fats and oils include commingling, contamination, colour increases and chemical
changes. Describe two types of quality deterioration.

Answer: Foods are often contaminated when harvested or slaughtered and most processing
involves a cleaning stage to remove these contaminants. However foods may also be
contaminated after processing and this is more serious because the contamination will not be
removed before the customer buys the food. One of the main functions of packaging is to
protect foods against contamination from the time it has been processed until it is consumed.
It should be noted that the contamination described before is accidential contamination.
Contamination that is done deliberately to increase profitability or from malice is named
adulteration. Next is enzyme. Enzymes are naturally occurring proteins that act on foods to
cause changes in flavour, colour or texture. There are many hundreds of different enzymes

but some of the more important spoilage changes include softening of fruits, rancidity of oils,
browning of cut fruit or root crops and loss of green colour in vegetables. In general enzymes
are either destroyed by heating or prevented from acting by changing the acidity or water
content of the food.

e) At the palm oil mill, the fresh fruit bunches (FFB) will undergo a few processes in order to
produce the crude palm oil and palm kernel. When the FFB arrived, it then charged into the
sterilizer to be 'cooked' under saturated steam at the gauge pressure of 40 psi. Justify the
needs for proper sterilization at the operating condition.
Answer:
1.
2.
3.
4.

To remove impurities
To remove bacterias
To remove dirts
To avoid infections