RESEARCH ARTICLE

Journal of Oil Palm Research Vol. 24 (3) December 2012, p. 1559-1561

QUALITY OF PALM FATTY ACID DISTILLATE (PFAD) UPON STORAGE: EFFECT OF MILD STEEL

YEOH Chee Beng* ; CHONG Chiew Let* ; ZALIHA Omar*

ABSTRACT

A study to evaluate the effects of interaction between mild steel and palm fatty acid distillates (PFAD) on the quality of PFAD was carried out. PFAD was stored at 65°C in the presence of mild steel strips. Iron content analysis showed that PFAD is a reasonably corrosive material to mild steel and the rate of iron picked up by PFAD was found to be quite rapid at 65°C. This rapid iron pick up resulted in the deterioration of PFAD in terms of its oxidative parameters, due to the known catalytic effect of iron. It is recommended that the avoidance of contact between mild steel and PFAD at high temperatures should be practised, in order to prevent a rapid deterioration of PFAD quality.

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* Malaysian Palm Oil Board,
P. O. Box 10620, 50720 Kuala Lumpur,
Malaysia.
E-mail: cbyeoh@mpob.gov.my