Purifying the Used Palm Olein with the Durian-Peel Activated Carbon

Abstract

Used Palm Olein (UPO) is generated from the deep-frying process during meal preparation when exposed to high heating temperatures for an extended period. Repeated use of UPO can cause damage to its chemical content due to oxidation reactions in such a way that the colour becomes darker. At the same time, it also produces volatile compounds that can cause carcinogenic effects on humans. This study investigated the potential of the durian-peel activated carbon (DPAC) in enhancing the three physicochemical properties of the UPO, i.e., colour, free fatty acids (FFAs), and peroxide value. The effect of contact time and volume ratio on producing DPAC was also investigated. The higher the contact time and volume ratio, the better the UPO. At the best parameter of 1: 0.1 volume ratio and 60-minute contact time, the FFA content of UPO was reduced by 20.1% and the peroxide value by 9.3%. Keywords:  Activated carbon, durian peel, palm olein, purification