Month: February 2020

Filled milk is a milk substitute made by combining non-dairy fats or oils with milk solids. It is used to replace fresh milk products in regions where there is inadequate storage facilities or where milk is little or not produced. The properties of reconstituted milk more closely resemble those of homogenized milk than whole milk. Much … Read more

A trans-free Soft Spread (TF Soft Spread) has been formulated (Figure 1). The margarine is consistent, yet soft and readily spreadable on bread from the refrigerator at 5°C-10°C. It also maintains its consistency even when left at room temperature (23°C-25°C) for up to 4 hr. There has been increasing demand for margarines with low saturates and trans … Read more

Organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) are now largely banned in Malaysia. However, with their long persistence, their residues may still be in the environment and food chain. OCPs are lipid soluble and their determination in oil requires pre-extraction from the oil matrix followed by a clean-up procedure. The latter is to prevent deterioration of the column and … Read more

The pesticides used in oil palm plantations are mainly herbicides and insecticides. As insecticides are relatively cheap, they are freely used, like deltamethrin against leaf-eating insects. The insecticides may have adverse effects on the environment and human health, while their residues are a concern in food quality and safety. Reliable analytical methods for insecticide determination … Read more

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 … Read more

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 … Read more

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 … Read more

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 … Read more

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 … Read more

Malaysia is the world’s second producer of palm oil with 4.3 million hectares of the crop producing 15.9 million tonnes of the oil. As the crop is grown in a cycle of 25 – 30 years, it is estimated that more than 70 000 ha will have to be replanted every year, requiring the felling … Read more