Oil palm empty fruit bunches (EFB) are a by-product produced in huge quantities by the palm oil mills. About 65% of EFB is either incinerated for bunch ash or recycled back to the plantation as mulching or used as solid fuel in the boilers to generate steam and electricity for the mills. According to Zin Zawawi et al. (1995), EFB constitutes about 20% to 22% of the weight of fresh fruit bunches and contains 30.5% dry matter, 2.5% oil and 67% water. Full exploitation of this biomass is necessary and this can be done by maximizing the utilization of bunches to form products of high value which not only comply to the zero waste strategy but also generate additional profit to the palm oil industry.

Main Research: Pn Rosnah Mat Som