Phospholipids of palm oil (Elaeis guineensis)

Mesocarp oil ofElaeis guineensis provides 1000~2000 ppm of phospholipids. Thin layer chromatography revealed that the major components are phosphatidylcholine (PC), phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), phosphatidylinositol (PI) and phosphatidylglycerol (PG). Minor components are phosphatidic acid (PA), diphosphatidylglycerol (DPG) and lysophosphatidylethanolamine (LPE), and traces of lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC) and phosphatidylserine (PS) are detectable. An artifact from enzymatic transphosphatidylation in methanolic solvents was isolated and characterized as phosphatidylmethanol (PM). Phospholipids are only present at low levels (20~80 ppm) in commercial crude palm oil and they usually account for a minor part of the total elemental phosphorus of the oil. It is desirable to have low levels of phospholipids in the oil to obtain better oxidative stability and bleaching properties.