Method for purification of animal or vegetable fats

A method for purifying lipid material, wherein the method comprises:

• a) storing the lipid material in a settling tank at elevated temperature;
• b) allowing impurities to settle to a bottom of the settling tank to thereby form an oily sludge phase;
• c) separating the formed oily sludge phase from a remainder of the lipid material,
• d) further processing the lipid material;
• e) purifying said separated oily sludge phase from impurities;
• and optionally
• f) returning purified oil from the purifying step e) to said settling tank,
• wherein the method in step e) includes a heat treatment step which includes:
• i. heating said oily sludge phase to a temperature of from about 150° C. to about 300° C.;
• ii. adding polar solvent to said oily sludge phase for removal of impurities from oil phase;
• and
• iii. separating and recovering purified oil;
• wherein said elevated temperature in step a) is from about 40° C. to about 120° C., and wherein settling in the settling tank takes place without any form of stirring.