Noncarotenoid hydrocarbons in palm oil and palm fatty acid distillate

Column chromatographic and gas chromatographic‐mass spectroscopic (GCMS) analyses for minor and trace noncarotenoid hydrocarbons of crude palm oil and palm fatty acid distillate revealed the presence of a wide range of n‐alkanes (C12H26 to C36H74) and n‐alkenes in addition to the major component, squalene. Hydrocarbon components concentrated in palm fatty acid distillate where squalene was dominant, but degradation products such as alkenes (from fatty acids or glycerides), aromatic hydrocarbons (from carotenes) and diterpene hydrocarbons (from tocotrienols) were detected in significant quantities, superseding the naturally occurring n‐alkanes. Mechanisms proposed suggest that degradation of the valuable vitamin E or tocotrienols needs to be minimized in physical refining.