Methods for refining vegetable oils and byproducts thereof

A process for deodorizing vegetable oil comprising:

• (a) introducing vegetable oil containing objectionable volatile impurities into a first tray of a deodorizer having at least two trays and operating at a pressure of less than about 10 mm Hg., the first tray operating at a temperature of from about 500 to about 525° F.;
• (b) contacting the vegetable oil in the first tray with steam to vaporize a substantial fraction of the objectionable volatile impurities into a first vapor phase, leaving a liquid residue containing a remaining portion of objectionable volatile impurities;
• (c) introducing the liquid residue into a second tray of the deodorizer, the second tray operating at a temperature of from about 435 to about 465° F.;
• (d) contacting the liquid residue in the second tray with steam to vaporize a substantial fraction of the remaining portion of objectionable volatile impurities into a second vapor phase, leaving a deodorized vegetable oil;
• and
• (e) recovering the deodorized vegetable oil.

A process for deodorizing vegetable oil comprising:

• (a) introducing vegetable oil containing objectionable volatile impurities into a first tray of a deodorizer having at least two trays and operating at a pressure of less than about 10 mm Hg., the first tray operating at a temperature of from about 500 to about 525° F.;
• (b) contacting the vegetable oil in the first tray with steam to vaporize a substantial fraction of the objectionable volatile impurities into a first vapor phase, leaving a liquid residue containing a remaining portion of objectionable volatile impurities;
• (c) introducing the liquid residue into a second tray of the deodorizer, the second tray operating at a temperature of from about 435 to about 465° F.;
• (d) contacting the liquid residue in the second tray with steam to vaporize a substantial fraction of the remaining portion of objectionable volatile impurities into a second vapor phase, leaving a deodorized vegetable oil;
• (e) recovering the deodorized vegetable oil;
• (f) cooling the deodorized vegetable oil;
• and
• (g) combining and condensing the first vapor phase and the second vapor phase to form a distillate.