Quality analysis of crude palm oil based on ffa, moisture, and impurity parameters in a 60 t/h palm oil mill
Keywords:
moisture content, impurities, free fatty acids, crude palm oilAbstract
CPO is the main product of the palm oil industry, in the form of crude oil, and serves as a raw material for various food and non-food products. The quality of CPO is affected by several key factors, including free fatty acid (FFA) levels, moisture content, and impurity levels, which directly influence the product's stability, shelf life, and market value. This study employed a quantitative-descriptive approach to evaluate the quality of Crude Palm Oil (CPO) produced from the processing of fresh fruit bunches (FFB) at Company XYZ in Nunukan Regency, Indonesia. Data collection was conducted from January to June 2025.The analytical focus was on three main quality parameters: free fatty acids (FFA), moisture content, and impurity levels. To support the analysis, bar charts and a fishbone diagram were used as tools to identify and illustrate the causal factors that have the potential to affect CPO quality. The evaluation results showed variations in quality, affected by processing factors, the quality of fresh fruit bunches, and storage conditions. Although CPO quality standards have been established, many production mills still experience quality instability due to differences in harvesting practices, post-harvest handling, and processing conditions. The research showed that FFA values ranged from 4.21% to 5.07%. Moisture content ranged from 0.29% to 0.33%. Meanwhile, impurity levels ranged from 0.029% to 0.039%. Therefore, this study recommends strengthening supervision, improving operator training, enhancing equipment maintenance, and enforcing SOP implementation to improve and maintain the consistency of CPO quality.
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