Thanks to literature and fellow scientists*

• Main Author: Dijkstra Albert J.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: EDP Sciences 2010-01-01
• Series: Oléagineux, Corps gras, Lipides
• Subjects: crystallisation; degumming; edible oil processing; extraction; interesterification; oil modification
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1051/ocl.2010.0286

Formal training has the disadvantage that trainees may simply accept what they are taught without questioning it, unlike the autodidact who can only learn by asking questions all the time. Sometimes, he will not get an answer and that need not be because the question is stupid, but may be because his peers are used to there being no satisfactory answer and have simply accepted the conventional mythology without further question. So it is about time to ask some assorted questions and where possible, suggest how to find an answer: 1) Why does the composition of the solvent used to extract oil from oilseeds affect the amount of oil being extracted and its phosphatide content? 2) Why does a heat treatment (Alcon, Exergy, expander) increase the phosphatide content of the crude oil and decrease its non-hydratable phosphatide (NHP) content? 3) Why does water degumming of crude oil remove relatively more magnesium than calcium? 4) What is the mechanism of phosphatide removal by silica hydrogel and why is it enhanced by simultaneous soap removal? 5) What is the mechanism of NHP-removal during alkali neutralisation? 6) Could it be that the Long Mix neutralisation process as used in the US leads to insufficient removal of the pro-oxidants copper and iron and that this explains why oil tends to less stable in the US than in Europe, especially when it contains linolenic acid? 7) Could different deodorisation conditions explain this geographically determined anomaly? 8) What happens during flavour reversion? 9) Why is walnut oil more stable in the nut than in the bottle? 10) How much oil is lost by saponification or hydrolysis during refining? 11) What is the mechanism of colour fixation? 12) Does the activity of interesterification catalysts depend on their counter cation? 13) What is the chemical nature of the colour formed on interesterification catalyst activation? 14) What is crystal memory? Does it exist? However, we should not forget the Dutch proverb that: “One fool can ask more questions than ten wise men can answer.” On the other hand, exposing myths is half the fun and asking the right question often provides half the answer.