Removing toxins from edible fats and oils

A method for removing toxins from edible oils, the method comprising:

• receiving a feed stream of crude or chemically refined edible oil, the crude or chemically refined edible oil including:
• a toxic material content of at least about 1 PPB, free fatty acids (FFAs) and omega-3 fatty acids;
• preheating the crude or chemically refined edible oil to a temperature of about 400-450° F. to form a preheated edible oil stream;
• introducing the preheated edible oil stream proximate a top of a vertical stripper, thereby creating a downward flowing edible oil stream in the vertical stripper;
• introducing superheated steam proximate a bottom of the vertical stripper at a superheated steam to preheated edible oil ratio of about 1-10% by weight, such that the superheated steam flows through the vertical stripper in a countercurrent direction, relative to the downward flowing edible oil stream;
• operating the vertical stripper at a pressure of about 0.1 to 3 Torr;
• stripping the downward flowing edible oil stream with the superheated steam to remove at least a portion of the toxic material and at least a portion of the FFAs from the downward flowing edible oil stream so as to produce:
• (a) a refined edible oil containing:
• (1) at least about 90% of the omega-3 fatty acids present in the crude or chemically refined edible oil, (2) at most about 500 PPT toxic material and (3) at most about 0.5% by weight FFA;
• and
• (b) a contaminated steam stream containing toxic material and FFAs removed from the downward flowing edible oil stream;
• removing the contaminated steam stream from the top of the vertical stripper via a first port;
• and
• removing the refined edible oil from the bottom of the vertical stripper via a second port, distinct from the first port.