Palm-pressed mesocarp fiber is a cellulosic fibrous material produced after screw-pressed of palm fruitlets in the palm oil mills. The pressed fiber contains typically 0.3 to 0.5% of the un-extracted residual oil (on wet basis) that can be recovered to generate extra revenue. The recovered pressed fiber oil is enriched with naturally occurring phytonutrients such as carotenoids, tocopherol and tocotrienols, sterols and squalene. Currently, the quality of fiber oil produced from different palm oil mills varies owing to the differences in operating parameters and practices of mill employing such solvent extraction technology. Potentially, the hidden value of fiber oil can be uncovered by processing into other high value products. The pressed fiber oil is enriched with natural carotenes, vitamin E (tocopherol and tocotrienols), sterols, squalene, co-enzyme Q10, and phenolic compounds (Choo et al., 1996; Lau et al., 2005 and 2006). Over the years, many attempts have been made to recover the residue oil from palm-pressed fiber including solvent extraction, supercritical carbon dioxide extraction and water screw-pressed technology.

 

To-date, there are about 10 to 15 pressed fiber solvent extraction plants established in Malaysia with monthly production capacity of 1,500 to 2,000 tonnes of crude fiber oil. The recovered fiber oil remains untreated and used in animal feed formulations. An integrated approach is necessary to maximize the potential of the crude fiber oil to enable millers and downstream players to capitalise on the untapped resources.