Month: February 2020

TS No. 46: Determination of Arsenic in Animal Feed Using Microwave Digestion and Graphite Furnace Atomic Absorption Spectrometry Method

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Arsenic contamination of palm oil is of great concern due to its carcinogenic effects. Most soils contain some arsenic, generally at low levels of 1 to 50 mg kg-1. However, industrial wastes and pesticides may contain more, and their disposal/application will contaminate the environment. Unpublished data obtained from a laboratory in the European Union (EU) … Read more

TS No. 45: Determination of Viscoelasticity of Semi-solid Fats Using RS-600 Rheometer

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Rheology is the science of flow and deformation of materials under stress and strain. The study of rheological properties is an important area in food product development. Viscoelasticity is one of the rheological properties of materials. A viscoelastic sample behaves like an elastic solid or a viscous liquid under different conditions. Rheological testing is a … Read more

TS No. 44: Determination of Lubricity of Biodiesel and Diesel Fuel

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Lubricity is defined as the ability of a liquid to provide hydrodynamic and/ or boundary lubrication to prevent wear between moving parts; or the ability to reduce friction between solid surfaces in relative motion. Thus, diesel fuel with poor lubricity will contribute to wear and tear in the fuel system of diesel engines. Various international … Read more

TS No. 43: Effective Effluent Management System

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In the typical biological treatment of effluent in a palm oil mill, sludge is produced as the by-product. This is dead microbial material, which accumulates at the bottom of anaerobic lagoons and is rich in plant nutrients and organic matter. Periodically, it has to be removed so that the lagoon does not get ‘silted up’. … Read more

TS No. 42: Determination of Formaldehyde Emission for Bio-Composite Products

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Concern about the possible health effects of formaldehyde emitted from wood based panel products manufactured with urea-formaldehyde (UF) and melamine-formaldehyde (MF) binding resins has led to the development and increasing use of low emission products. The potential formaldehyde emission by wood-based panels is determined by a standard test ISO WD 12460 – TC 89/WG 5 … Read more

TS No. 41: Pilot Plant Facilities of the Preparation of Panel Composites from Oil Palm Biomass

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The Biomass Technology Centre (BTC) is a one-stop centre for R&D in biocomposites from oil palm biomass, especially medium density fi breboard (MDF). The MDF pilot plant has quality control and testing laboratories and also facilities for processing wood-based biocomposites. BTC has the expertise and facilities to provide assistance and strategic technical support to producers … Read more

TT No. 378: A Transdermal Tocotrienol Breast Cream

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Our research shows that high levels of tocotrienols in the breast were associated with lower incidence of breast cancer. Oral administration of tocotrienols however ends up with poor uptake into the blood. We have therefore developed an alternative method of delivering tocotrienols to the breast via transdermal application. Main Research: Dr. Kalanithi Nesaretnam

TT No. 375: Palm Oil Standard Reference Materials for Determination of Solid fat Content

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The solid fat content (SFC) is a major concern in food applications, and is generally considered the fingerprint of oils and fats to characterize the physical and sensory properties of foods such as spreadability, texture, firmness and mouth-feel. Knowing the SFC would be useful for formulating new products and also for authenticating the oil and fat. … Read more