Studies on Minor Components in Palm Fatty Acid Distillate. I

Occurrence of Squalene

Abstract

The hydrocarbon fraction of palm fatty acid distillate (PFAD) was isolated from unsaponifiable matter by preparative TLC. GLC analysis indicated a number of peaks, the major one having the same retention time as squalene. Further study on this peak by combined GC-MS confirmed it to be squalene. Crude palm oil (CPO) and refined, bleached and deodorised palm oil (RBDPO) were also found to contain squalene. The mean squalene content in PFAD, CPO and RBDPO was 7887, 588 and 257 ppm, respectively, thus indicating squalene to be distilled off the crude palm oil along with free fatty acids and other volatile products and concentrated in PFAD during deodorisation.