Palm oil is a common vegetable oil, which is widely used in food processing and industrial production. However, there are significant differences between edible palm oil and industrial palm oil in raw materials, processing technology and uses. Understanding these differences is helpful for consumers and producers to choose and use palm oil correctly.

First of all, from the perspective of raw materials, both of them are usually derived from the fruits of palm trees, but the quality requirements are different. The raw materials of edible palm oil must meet the food safety standards, and palm fruits with high maturity and good quality are usually selected. Industrial palm oil, on the other hand, has relatively low requirements for raw materials, and may use fruits with slightly poor quality or unsuitable for eating.

Secondly, the processing technology is one of the important differences between them. Edible palm oil needs strict refining process, including degumming, deacidification, decoloration and deodorization, to remove impurities and harmful substances and ensure its safety and palatability(palm oil refining process). In the process of processing, strict hygiene standards should be followed to meet the food-grade requirements. However, the processing technology of industrial palm oil is relatively simple, usually only preliminary treatment is carried out, and more impurities and unrefined components are retained, because it is mainly used in non-food fields and has low requirements for hygiene and safety.(What is the difference between palm oil refining and other edible oil refining?)

Finally, the application of the two is also very different. Edible palm oil is mainly used in cooking and food processing, such as making cakes, biscuits, instant noodles and other foods. It is widely welcomed because of its high stability and high temperature resistance. Industrial palm oil is used to make soap, cosmetics, lubricants, biofuels and other products, and even used as chemical raw materials. Because its use does not involve the edible field, the safety requirements are relatively low.

To sum up, there are obvious differences between edible palm oil and industrial palm oil in raw materials, processing technology and application. Consumers should pay attention to the distinction when buying, so as to avoid using industrial palm oil for food processing by mistake, so as not to affect their health. At the same time, producers should also strictly abide by relevant standards to ensure that the quality of products meets the needs of use.