Not All Bleaching Clays Created Equal
Oil-Dri Research & Development – Fluids Purification Smart filtration starts with the right clay When it comes to edible oil refining, performance isn’t just about hitting spec, it’s about building a robust, reliable and reproducible process. Every step counts – especially filtration. After bleaching, refineries must filter out the bleaching clay with the captured impurities […]
Optimizing Trace Element Removal for Renewable Diesel Feedstocks
Oil-Dri presented new research on improving Renewable Diesel feedstock quality at the 2025 AOCS Annual Meeting. This blog highlights findings from the presentation. Renewable Diesel Processing The hydrotreatment process to create renewable diesel from fats and oils utilizes expensive catalysts. These catalysts are highly susceptible to degradation from contaminants, in the form of trace elements, […]
The Bleaching Process: Key Considerations
Bleaching earths have been an essential part of the edible oil refining process since late 19th century. While advancements in technology and techniques have improved our understanding of the bleaching process, certain nuances and best practices are often overlooked. Key Considerations in the Bleaching Process Color: A lower RB red color does not always lead […]
Optimizing Trace Element Removal in Soybean Oil Refining
Why focus on Trace Elements? Each step in vegetable oil refining plays a critical role in improving oil quality. The bleaching stage is the final opportunity in the refining process to remove non-volatile contaminants. Trace elements such as phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, and iron are naturally present in crude soybean oil and can significantly impact the […]
Optimal 3-MCPD and GE Mitigation
3-monochloropropane-1,2-diol esters (3-MCPD) and glycidyl esters (GEs) are toxic, potentially carcinogenic compounds often found in processed palm oil products. These compounds are closely monitored by the palm oil industry. Current target specifications for 3-MCPDs and GEs are typically below 2.5 mg/kg and 1.0 mg/kg, respectively, with more stringent restrictions expected over the next few years. […]
Lab Scale Deodorization
Deodorization is typically the last step in edible oil refining. The process removes compounds such as carotenoids, free-fatty acids, tocopherols, aldehydes, peroxides, and others. Laboratory scale deodorization equipment can vary from adapted roto-evaporators to fully customized glassware systems. The video below previews a custom lab-scale deodorizer at our Innovation Center in Vernon Hills, Illinois. It […]
Lab Scale Bleaching
Here at Oil-Dri, we have been performing laboratory scale experiments mimicking a variety of different processes for bleaching edible and non-edible fats and oils for over 20 years. We have experience handling and treating many different feedstocks and experimenting with most types of processing variables. The video below demonstrates an example of how we use […]
Lab Scale Degumming and Refining
At our laboratory in Vernon Hills, Illinois we can simulate various commercial fat and oil refining processes. Two processes that are commonly performed in our laboratory are degumming and refining. Degumming is the process of removing phosphatides (gums) from crude fats and oils. There are many different degumming processes, including: In a chemical refining process, […]