Refining of vegetable oils is required to remove free fatty acid, gums, waxes, odour and colouring pigment etc from Oil. Refining is carried out either by batch operation or as continuous operation. With certain oils even physical refining can be carried out instead of chemical.


1. Batch Chemical Refinery

For batch refining the equipments required are Neutralizer, Bleacher, Deodorizer, and other accessories and is suitable for low production of refined Oil.

2. Continuous Chemical Refinery

For higher capacities Continuous Refining Process is preferred over Batch Refining. Continuous Refining comprises of following section.

	Pre-treatment / Degumming Section		Bleaching Section
	Neutralising Section		Deodorization Section

3. Physical Refinery

For some oils like palm oil can be refined using the process of physical refining. In this process, after pre-treatment of oil, the oil is deodorized and physically refined. The Free Fatty Acid (F.F.A.) present in the oil is distilled off at high temperature and high vacuum.