The global market for cosmetics and toiletries ingredients was an estimated USD 14.7 billion in 2005, and is expected to grow 5% a year to 2010. The factors contributing to this steady growth are the improving global economy, particularly in developing countries, and the introduction of new consumer-friendly products. The majority of cosmetics and toiletries […]

Palm kernel cake (PKC) is the by-product from the production of palm kernel oil – the residue of the palm kernel after its oil has been expressed. It is commonly used as animal feed for its protein and energy content. Little is known about the protein which constitutes 14% to 17% of PKC. Therefore, it […]

Effluent treatment is of increasing importance to Malaysian palm oil mills as they strive to reduce their operating costs and meet the increasingly stringent standards for discharging their wastes. This article summarizes the polishing technique for tertiary treatment of palm oil mill effluent (POME). The method allows mills to achieve long term regulatory compliance with […]

Composting organic waste is a wellknown practice for converting solid wastes into a useful fertilizer. Organic wastes represent a substantial amount of the community and agricultural wastes which include green waste, sewage sludge, food processing waste and palm oil milling wastes. In composting, there may be problems with stench, leachate, vermin and fl ies in […]

There is increasing interest to use oil palm empty fruit bunches (EFB) to make pulp and paper in Malaysia. With its large cultivation of oil palm, EFB is amply available (an estimated 5 million tonnes a year, dry weight). As a cellulosic material of oil palm, it can be used to make pulp without depleting […]