PROCESSING OF PALM FRUITS USING MICROWAVE

• Main Authors: CHOW MEE CHIN, MA AH NGAN
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 30.11.2009
• Subjects: FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; FOODS, FOODSTUFFS, OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, NOT COVERED BYSUBCLASSES A23B - A23J; HUMAN NECESSITIES; PRESERVATION OF FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS, IN GENERAL; THEIR PREPARATION OR TREATMENT, e.g. COOKING, MODIFICATION OFNUTRITIVE QUALITIES, PHYSICAL TREATMENT; THEIR TREATMENT, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES

THE PRESENT INVENTION PROVIDES FOR MICROWAVE HEATING WHOLE PALM BUNCHES, CUT BUNCHES, CRUSHED BUNCHES SPIKELETS OF PALM FRUITS AND WHICHEVER MODIFIED FORM IN WHICH A BUNCH HAS BEEN PRE-TREATED SO AS TO REDUCE THE SIZE OF THE WHOLE BUNCH. THIS IS A DRY AND RAPID PROCESS IN WHICH INDIVIDUAL FRUITS ARE EASILY DETACHED FROM THE PEDICEL. IN THE PROCESS THE MESOCARP OF THE PALM FRUIT CAN BE THEN BE EASILY MASHED. THE MASHED AND DEHYDRATED WHOLE FRUITS CAN THEN BE FURTHER PROCESSED TO SEPARATE THE PALM OIL AND KERNEL OIL. THIS INVENTION OF MICROWAVE DRY HEATING OF PALM FRUITS CAN SIMULTANEOUSLY HALT LIPOLYSIS WHICH PREVENTS THE RISE OF FREE FATTY ACIDS IN THE MESOCARP OIL AND PALM KERNEL OIL WHEN THE FRUITS ARE STORED. THE DRY HEATING PROCESS ALSO SIMULTANEOUSLY PARTIALLY DRIES AND SHRINKS THE KERNEL FROM THE SHELL OF THE SHELL OF THE NUT THAT IS PREREQUISITE IN EASING THE SEPARATION OF KERNELS FROM THE SHELL. THE INVENTION OF MICROWAVE PROCESS OF TREATING PALM FRUITS AND BUNCHES CAN DRY THE ASSOCIATED BOTANICAL PARTS OF THE BUNCH. THE PRESENT INVENTION DISPENSES WITH STEAM AND HAS THE POTENTIAL OF BEING A DRY AND CONTINUOUS PROCESS IN THE EXTRACTION OF PALM OIL. THE VOLUME OF EFFLUENT DISCHARGED WILL BE REDUCED TO A MINIMAL TO THAT OF ONLY THE INDIGENOUS WATER EVAPORATED FROM THE FRUITS.