ABSTRACT
Palm oil is an important raw material obtained from the mesocarp (fruit flesh) of Elaeis guineensis. It currently represents about 23% of the world output of the major vegetable oils and fats [1]. The last four decades have seen a dramatic increase in the world production of palm oil, especially from Malaysia, with significant growth occurring in Indonesia and, to a lesser degree, in Ivory Coast. For example, palm oil production in Malaysia has increased more than 100-fold from 92,000 tonnes in 1960 to 10.55 million tonnes in 1999 and now accounts for more than 50% of the world production (Source: PORLA). Figure 1 shows the steady growth in palm oil production over the last 10 years. The growth of palm oil in the world oils and fats market has led to many studies, particularly into its crystallization behavior and, more recently, into its nutritional value.
