Yellowish palm kernel oil and red palm oil, illustrating the
end of the two finished products in Ghana. Photo credit:
Introduction
In my first article about the palm tree, I explained why it
is considered the most useful and versatile tree on earth. I highlighted the
wide range of products it provides, including palm wine, soap, sweeping brooms,
and even ingredients for traditional soups.
In today’s concluding article, I focus on two major oil
products derived from the palm tree and reveal how they are processed and
produced.
Palm Oil: What It Is and How It Is Manufactured in Ghana
Palm oil is a reddish-gold edible oil extracted from the
fleshy mesocarp of the oil palm fruit (Elaeis guineensis). In Ghana, palm oil
is a staple ingredient in many households and a major raw material for
industries producing soap, cosmetics, detergents, and traditional foods.
Related post: Why
the palm tree is the most useful and versatile tree on earth
The manufacturing process blends long-standing cultural
practices with modern mechanized systems. The process begins with harvesting
ripe palm fruit bunches, which are transported to processing sites. The fruits
are sterilized, traditionally by boiling in large drums or, in modern
factories, by using steam pressure.
Sterilization softens the fruits and loosens them from the
bunch. The fruits are then threshed to separate them from the stalks.
Afterward, the fruits are pounded or mechanically digested to break the pulp
and release the oil.
The resulting mash is pressed, either manually or with
hydraulic or mechanical presses, to extract the crude palm oil. The oil is then
boiled and skimmed to remove impurities before being clarified and stored. This
process produces the vibrant red palm oil widely used across Ghana.
Palm‑Kernel Oil: What It Is and How It
Is Manufactured in Ghana
Palm‑kernel oil is a different product
entirely, extracted not from the fruit pulp but from the hard seed inside the
palm fruit. It is lighter in color, higher in saturated fats, and widely used
in soap making, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and confectionery industries.
After palm oil extraction, the leftover nuts are dried and
cracked to release the kernels. These kernels are washed, sorted, and dried to
reduce moisture. Traditionally, the kernels are roasted and pounded before
being boiled to release the oil.
In modern processing, the kernels are fed into mechanical
expellers that crush them under high pressure to extract the oil. The crude
palm‑kernel
oil is then filtered and refined to remove impurities.
The remaining kernel cake becomes valuable animal feed. This
dual‑oil
system, palm oil and palm‑kernel oil, makes
the oil palm one of the most economically important trees in Ghana.
