Partition coefficient of diglycerides in crystallization of palm oil

Crystallization of palm oil with and without solvent was carried out over a temperature range of 10–25°C. The yields of olein, the diglyceride contents, and compositions of the stearin and olein phases were determined by thin-layer and gas-liquid chromatography. The three major diglycerides, analyzed as C₃₂, C₃₄, and C₃₆, are mainly dipalmitoyl glycerol, palmitoyloleoyl glycerol, and dioleoyl glycerol. In crystallization without solvent, C₃₂ (PP) had a strong affinity for the stearin fraction and C₃₆ diglycerides concentrated in the olein phase. The partition coefficient of diglycerides between the olein and stearin phases was temperature-dependent and was influenced by the type of solvent used. Although solvent enhances the diglyceride partition into the olein phase, partitioning is more effective at low temperatures and with acetone as the solvent for fractionation.