Is bumpy palm oil okay to use?

[kikajess]

This palm oil looks weird!



It smells fine, though. The one on the left was microwaved for a minute to soften it for me. I didn't look at it before I nuked it. I noticed bumps on it after nuking it, and it looks kind of separated, too. I opened another container I hadn't nuked, also to see strange bumps on it (the tub on the right).

Anyone know what's happening here? I couldn't find any info on this phenomenon in the quick google search I did.

I'm hesitant to use it, so I'm asking for some insight. But I really want to use it because it's expensive, and I don't know if the store will take back the one tub after I microwaved it.

What do you guys think?

 

[yadonm]

It looks like it moved around a bit while it was solidifying. I'm sure it's fine.

 

[lsg]

I would remelt it and stir it well.

 

[paillo]

I would remelt it and stir it well.

This. You can stick it in a bathtub of a few inches of hot water and stir when it's melty, or if it's hot outside, leave it out until it's melty and stir.

 

[lsg]

Yes, and you can also leave the container in a hot garage or even in a car with windows rolled up. It won't take long for it to melt in hot weather.

 

[kikajess]

I think I'm just going to take it back to the store. But I'm curious - why not microwave it to melt it?

 

[Obsidian]

You don't want to risk melting the container in the microwave. Why take it back? The bumps are just from the steric acid solidifying before the rest of the fatty acids, its common in palm. Melt it down and stir frequently while it cools.

 

[Candybee]

Thats what I thought. The lumps look like stearic lumps. Just remelt and give it a good stir. Besides, if you take it back you are likely to get the same stuff if you switch it out for another bucket of palm. However they are storing it the stearic has seperated and rehardened into smallish lumps. No biggie.

 

[shunt2011]

Yup, just stearic lumps. You can melt it in the microwave but do it carefully so as not to melt the plastic if you choose to do so.

 

[yadonm]

I've started dividing my oils into smaller mason jars. It's very time saving and I don't have to keep reheating the large gallon containers over and over. I think it helps preserve the "good stuff" in my hard oils.

 

[pamielynn]

You can microwave it. I nuke all my oils -just not on full power; I use 80% power. And yes, make sure the container is micro-safe - you do NOT want a big bucket of palm melting all inside the oven.