Versatile method for purifying glyceridic materials

A method for the purification of low-quality glyceridic material to yield a purified glyceridic material, said low-quality glyceridic material containing triglycerides, partial glycerides, free fatty acids and P, Na, K, Mg, Ca and Fe, said purification process including:

• (a) a thermal treatment of the low-quality glyceridic material at a temperature of at least 160° C., to yield a thermally treated low-quality glyceridic material,
• (b) allowing to cool the thermally treated low-quality glyceridic material of step a) at a temperature of 120° C. or lower to yield a cooled thermally treated low-quality glyceridic material, and
• (c) applying one or more standard refining technique(s) to said cooled thermally treated low-quality glyceridic material of step b),
• wherein said low-quality glyceridic material contain at least 500 ppm of alkalinity,
• wherein prior to the thermal treatment, the method further comprises a pre-treatment that does not decrease the natural alkalinity of the low-quality glyceridic feedstock below an alkalinity of 500 ppm,
• wherein said method is devoid of an FFA stripping step,
• wherein said one or more standard refining technique(s) include water washing, acidulated water washing, water degumming, acid degumming, bleaching realized with bleaching agent(s),
• wherein said thermal treatment of the low-quality glyceridic material is realized in a hermitical vessel under pressure ranging from 100 mbar to 10 bar.