Please tell me if this is Palm Oil or Palm kernel oil. my supplier does not know it :(
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Palm oil.
beautifulsoaper
Active Member
Can you tell the differences since on internet i read that its red in color but this is yellow
PKO is not that yellow.
beautifulsoaper
Active Member
I hope you are true...if you know anybody do also confirm since otherwise my recipe is gone to waste....i just need more confirmation (no offense tho)
jcandleattic
Well-Known Member
Does it melt fairly easily?
PKO is solid at room temp and has a high melt point, where as palm does not.
I have to agree with Rsapienza, it looks like palm to me. (even though not all palm has a red color to it)
PKO is solid at room temp and has a high melt point, where as palm does not.
I have to agree with Rsapienza, it looks like palm to me. (even though not all palm has a red color to it)
beautifulsoaper
Active Member
What do you mean melt easily? This is how it looks and i have not freezed it. Its around 35 to 42 degrees here so its always melted right now..i hope it really is palm oil
My PKO is hard; I mean like drop it and it shatters hard. That's palm oil. I also have a jar of red palm oil and what you have isn't it.
beautifulsoaper
Active Member
Red palm oil and palm oil are different. @Misschief means you don't have red palm oil.
In the US we are used to palm kernel oil that has been hydrogenated, refined and bleached - sold in flakes, very hard and very white. It has a melt point of around 100 F. Unrefined palm kernel oil can be quite yellow in color and has a melt point of 78-86 F according to Bramble Berry's website. Unrefined Palm Kernel Oil | BrambleBerry
My best guess is that it is palm oil. Is palm kernel oil sold by other suppliers in your area typically sold in flake form?
In the US we are used to palm kernel oil that has been hydrogenated, refined and bleached - sold in flakes, very hard and very white. It has a melt point of around 100 F. Unrefined palm kernel oil can be quite yellow in color and has a melt point of 78-86 F according to Bramble Berry's website. Unrefined Palm Kernel Oil | BrambleBerry
My best guess is that it is palm oil. Is palm kernel oil sold by other suppliers in your area typically sold in flake form?
I do not have a definitive answer but I would not buy again from a supplier who does not know what they are selling.
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Clearly, the supplier has not given reliable information. Palm oil can be a whitish color. In my experience with palm kernel, it has arrived in flake form. It is solid at room temp. Try a 1 pound batch of soap using the palm oil saponification rate. If it turns out well, then use it as palm oil.
The thing I'd be concerned about your supplier is their lack of knowledge of what they are selling. But yes, that looks like palm oil to me as well. My palm kernel oil (PKO) is hard and does not melt at room temperature inside my house in the summer like Coconut oil does here in my house every summer. PKO flakes are solid with a waxy feel & look like this:
and this product:
https://milehighsoap.com/palm-kernel-oil-flakes/
My Palm Oil is the no-stir palm shortening, which when melted does look like any other light oil. Palm oil processed as a shortening, has the consistency of margarine at room temperature, even in summer here. But it is also bleached, so as a solid it looks very very white, although a bit on the pale yellowish side when melted.
I know it's confusing but Palm Oil and Palm Kernel Oil are two different things, but they can be processed in different ways that produce a different look and color and even melting point, so it is important for your supplier to absolutely know exactly what they are selling. I would not buy from a seller who could not identify their products any better than 'it's some kind of palm, but I can't tell which kind of palm it is, you just have to take your chances'. That's unacceptable from a soapmaker's standpoint, and if they are selling for food use, it's also unacceptable in my opinion.'
Edited to add: The melting point of palm kernel flakes is usually higher than my summer room temperature, but if you do not keep your home below 42° Celsius, even PKO could melt at room temperature in your house. Re: melting point - This is what one vendor who sells Palm Kernel Flakes lists on their site:
"Melting Point between 42-46 Celsius (107-115 Fahrenheit)." (link)
and this product:
https://milehighsoap.com/palm-kernel-oil-flakes/
My Palm Oil is the no-stir palm shortening, which when melted does look like any other light oil. Palm oil processed as a shortening, has the consistency of margarine at room temperature, even in summer here. But it is also bleached, so as a solid it looks very very white, although a bit on the pale yellowish side when melted.
I know it's confusing but Palm Oil and Palm Kernel Oil are two different things, but they can be processed in different ways that produce a different look and color and even melting point, so it is important for your supplier to absolutely know exactly what they are selling. I would not buy from a seller who could not identify their products any better than 'it's some kind of palm, but I can't tell which kind of palm it is, you just have to take your chances'. That's unacceptable from a soapmaker's standpoint, and if they are selling for food use, it's also unacceptable in my opinion.'
Edited to add: The melting point of palm kernel flakes is usually higher than my summer room temperature, but if you do not keep your home below 42° Celsius, even PKO could melt at room temperature in your house. Re: melting point - This is what one vendor who sells Palm Kernel Flakes lists on their site:
"Melting Point between 42-46 Celsius (107-115 Fahrenheit)." (link)
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Since it is so hot where you are...I actually don't think we can tell by the fact that it is melted.
If it is PKO, I would expect it is unrefined because of the yellow color. Refined PKO is very white.
If it were unrefined palm it would be red as you mentioned. Refined palm is whiteish yellow.
So, if you can get an answer from your supplier about whether it is refined or unrefined, I think then you would have your answer.
I also found this googling:
"The smell of palm oil is often described as faint, fresh, and slightly green. Palm kernel oil smells rather herbaceous, eucalyptus-like, spicy, a little fruity-sweet, as well as slightly green. Furthermore, it can also give off faint citrus notes. Taste-wise, refined palm oil has a sweetish, pleasant taste."
https://www.florapower.de/en/inform...ll of palm oil,has a sweetish, pleasant taste.
So trying to smell it may help. It sounds like PKO is stronger smelling...but since you don't have a comparison, I don't know how much that will help.
If it is PKO, I would expect it is unrefined because of the yellow color. Refined PKO is very white.
If it were unrefined palm it would be red as you mentioned. Refined palm is whiteish yellow.
So, if you can get an answer from your supplier about whether it is refined or unrefined, I think then you would have your answer.
I also found this googling:
"The smell of palm oil is often described as faint, fresh, and slightly green. Palm kernel oil smells rather herbaceous, eucalyptus-like, spicy, a little fruity-sweet, as well as slightly green. Furthermore, it can also give off faint citrus notes. Taste-wise, refined palm oil has a sweetish, pleasant taste."
https://www.florapower.de/en/inform...ll of palm oil,has a sweetish, pleasant taste.
So trying to smell it may help. It sounds like PKO is stronger smelling...but since you don't have a comparison, I don't know how much that will help.
Yes, that’s palm oil. It looks exactly like the palm oil in my kitchen during summer months, including the yellow color.
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My palm oil is cream and solid at RT, even on very hot days, just used it yesterday and when melted it's yellow.
beautifulsoaper
Active Member
Thank you to all of you who have contributed to my post. My supplier still says he is 80% sure it is Palm oil and not kernel oil.
I made a batch of soap using this oil. Can anybody tell me is there a way I can differentiate through the final product that will come out of the mold?
I made a batch of soap using this oil. Can anybody tell me is there a way I can differentiate through the final product that will come out of the mold?
I guess it would depend on how well you know your soap. From what I have read, PKO is similar to Coconut Oil so I guess it would be like adding extra CO to your recipe. So for me, that would be 40% CO and that would really dry my skin out.
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