Degumming process for plant oils

Abstract

A method of removing gums which cannot be removed by simple water degumming from plant oils having the following steps: (a) adding to a plant oil containing gum substances not hydratable with water and wax substances, substantially 0.01 to 0.08% of a food acid or an acid anhydride of a food acid in a 5 to 15% solution thereof at a temperature of 20.degree. to 70.degree. C., intimately mixing the oil and the solution and causing the oil and the solution to remain in contact for a contact time in excess of 5 minutes with slow stirring; (b) to a mixture formed in step (a) adding a 1 to 5% solution of a base at a temperature of 10.degree. to 40.degree. C. in an amount between 40 and 150% of the amount stoichiometrically required for neutralization to the acid added to the mixture in step (a) and effecting a reaction in the mixture for a period of 1 to 4 hours under slow stirring to effect coagulation of at least a major portion of the gum substances and optionally reducing a content of high melting triglycerides and wax substances in the mixture; (c) rapidly and briefly heating the mixture formed in step (b) to separating an oil component from a component precipitated therefrom; and (d) optionally washing the oil component with a small quantity of water.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.