Color improvement process for organic liquid

A process for the hydrogenation and purification of a substance selected from the group consisting of fats, animal oils and vegetable oils comprising:

• a. refining said substance to remove gross impurities;
• b. forming a mixture of the refined product of step (a), a finely divided hydrogenation catalyst and a finely dispersed solid adsorbent adapted to remove color bodies in an atmosphere substantially devoid of oxygen-containing gases;
• c. hydrogenating the refined product of step (a) with hydrogen in the presence of said hydrogenation catalyst and said solid adsorbent, and at elevated temperatures, thereby producing a hydrogenated product carrying the entrained hydrogenation catalyst and the solid adsobent;
• and
• d. in an atmosphere substantially devoid of oxygen-containing gases, subjecting the product of step (c) to electrofiltration for the substantially complete removal of the hydrogenation catalyst and solid adsorbent from said hydrogenated product, thereby providing a solids-free, color improved hydrogenated product.