Quality assessment of refined red palm-pressed mesocarp olein

Palm-pressed mesocarp oil has been found to contain plenty of naturally occurring valuable phytonutrients. The application and study of the oil are limited, therefore, quality assessment of refined red palm-pressed mesocarp olein (PPMO) is deemed necessary to provide data in widening the applications as a niche products or raw material for the nutraceutical industry. Results showed that refined PPMO has comparable physicochemical properties and oxidative stability with commercial cooking oil, palm olein (PO). The food safety parameters and contaminants (PAH, 3-MCPD ester, 2-MCPD ester, glycidyl ester and trace metals) analyses proven that refined PPMO is safe to be consumed. Besides, refined PPMO contains remarkably greater concentrations of phytonutrients including carotenoids, phytosterols, squalene and vitamin E than PO, postulating its protective health benefits. The overall quality assessment of refined PPMO showed that it is suitable for human consumption and is a good source for food applications and dietary nutritional supplements.

Automated summary

The quality assessment of refined red palm-pressed mesocarp olein (PPMO) showed that it has comparable physicochemical properties and oxidative stability with commercial cooking oil, palm olein (PO). Analyses on food safety parameters and contaminants proved that refined PPMO is safe to be consumed and it contains remarkably greater concentrations of phytonutrients. This indicates that refined PPMO is suitable for human consumption and may have protective health benefits.