Palm kernel cake and meal(Raw material sheet)
Definition & classification
Palm kernel cake and palm kernel meal are by-products obtained of the oil extraction from the seed of African oil palm (Elaeis guineensis). A species variety which is mainly grown in tropical areas of both Africa and Asia.
Almost 80% of the world’s palm oil production originates from Indonesia and Malaysia. Other producing countries are: Nigeria, Thailand, Colombia, Papua New Guinea and Ecuador (FAO, 2012). However, the production of the aforementioned countries is significantly lower compared to the major producers. Europe and New Zealand are major importers of palm kernel meal and cake. In Malaysia and Indonesia, palm oil production takes place in large areas which are generally run by private companies. However, in other regions, such as in West African countries, its production is divided among small farmers.
In 2008, the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) developed a voluntary certification system to ensure sustainable production.
Recent studies indicate that this certification allows to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 35% compared to non-certified productions(Schmidt & De Rosa, 2020). Thus, reducing the environmental impacts of this industry.
Palm oil production is generally associated with deforestation and loss of biodiversity. This is especially true in Southeast Asia, due to the type of production system used in this region. These aspects have been highly criticized by the public, especially in Europe, the main importer of these raw materials.
The “Catalogue of raw materials” (Regulation (EU) 68/2013) classifies palm kernel cake and meal for animal feed, in the following section: “2. Oil seeds, oleaginous fruits and their derived products” (Table 1).
Table 1. Classification of palm kernel according to the Catalogue of Raw Materials (Regulation (EU) 68/2013).
It is mandatory to declare the protein and fiber content in the cake, as well as its fat content.
Procurement process
The oil palm fruit has: a fine epicarp, a fleshy, oily mesocarp and a hard endocarp containing an endosperm (kernel, seed). Palm oil is extracted from the mesocarp and is rich in long-chain fatty acids such as palmitic and oleic acids.
Figure 1. Procurement process for palm kernel oil (Poku, 2002).
The three basic steps followed in the mechanical extraction of palm kernel oil are:
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