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This study reports on the effects of dry heating of oil palm fruits for the purpose of sterilization and solvent extraction with various oil parameters. Steam sterilization of oil palm fresh fruit bunches was required as a pre-treatment to deactivate enzymes that give rise to Free Fatty Acids (FFA) before the oil could be extracted. While the use of high-pressure steam was effective, large amount of water used ends up as palm oil mill effluent, which requires appropriate treatment. Dry heating of oil palm fruits was carried out in an oven for 1-4 and 5 min time duration. The heated fruits were extracted for its oil by solvent means. Oil yield, Deterioration Of Bleachability Index (DOBI), oxidative stability and FFA content were investigated. The FFA content in the oil extracted from dry heated oil palm fruits ranged from 1.02-2.19%, DOBI from 4.19-6.72 and oxidative stability from 14.3-19.1 h. Dry heated oil palm fruits yield crude oil with comparable quality to that of commercial crude palm oil, which is steam sterilized.

The residual oil recovered from palm-pressed fiber is known to contain high level of carotenes (4,000 mg kgˉ1 to 6,000 mg kgˉ1) and vitamin E such as tocopherols and tocotrienols (2,000 mg kgˉ1 to 3,000 mg kgˉ1). In this study, the water-soluble compounds in fresh palm-pressed fiber were recovered by supercritical carbon dioxide (SC-CO2) extraction. The concentration of these compounds in palm-pressed fiber oil recovered was determined in the range of 1,000 mg kgˉ1 to 2,000 mg kgˉ1. A total of 12 compounds have been identified from this water-soluble extract with molecular weights ranging from 126 amu. to 208 amu.. Preliminary results showed that these water-soluble compounds possess superior antioxidant properties screening using FRAP (Ferric Reducing Ability of Plasma) and TEAC (Trolox Equivalent Antioxidant Capacity) assays.

This study described the extraction of residual oils of spent bleaching earth (SBE) from palm oil refining industry, the properties and applications of residual oils obtained there from. Residual oils of SBE (acid-activated, WAC and neutral, NC) were recovered via solvent and supercritical-fluid (SC-CO2) extraction. The yields of residual oils recovered from WAC were higher than those from NC using solvent and SC-CO2 extraction respectively. Both the residual oils recovered from WAC and NC had fatty acids composition (FAC) similar to that of crude palm oil. These oils exhibited poor qualities in terms of free fatty acids (FFA) content and peroxide value (PV). As the residual oils had very high FFA value (more than 10%), they were no longer suitable for food applications. Alternatively, these oils can be converted to their respective methyl esters for biofuel and other non-food applications as they were thermally and chemically stable with induction period of up to 29 h in Rancimat test. The methyl esters conversion via esterification and transesterification gave optimum yields of more than 80%. The methyl esters obtained have comparable fuel properties as petroleum diesel; hence, they can be used as diesel substitute.

Palm oil is known to host a variety of phytonutrients; some having antioxidant property such as the carotenes and vitamin E. These antioxidants are also present in the oil recovered from the palm-pressed fibre. Study was carried out to investigate the presence of coenzyme Q10, yet another non-glyceride compound which possesses antioxidant property in crude palm oil (CPO) and palm fibre oil. Separation of coenzyme Q10 in CPO and palm fibre oil was carried out using supercritical fluid chromatography with ultra violet detection. 1H and 13C NMR were used for its characterisation. Calibration with authentic standard shows that there are 10-80 ppm coenzyme Q10 in CPO while its concentration in palm fibre oil is 1000-1500 ppm.

The methyl esters of palm oil, which consists of saturated and unsaturated esters (0.6 to 95.9% unsaturation) of the C12 to C18 fatty acids, solidify at the two temperature ranges, -52 to -45°C and -24 to 21°C, when the esters are cooled. When the esters are heated, they melt at two distinct temperatures, -25 and -33°C and a broad peak at -9 to 28°C. The heating thermograms also showed an exothermic crystallisation peak in between two endothermic melting peaks, indicating the occurrence of re-crystallisation of low melting methyl esters into higher melting point crystal and then melt again at higher temperature.

Crude and distilled palm oil methyl esters conveniently known as palm diesel have been successfully evaluated as diesel substitute. Crude palm oil methyl esters are produced from transesterification of crude palm oil with minor components such as carotenes and vitamin E still intact and they are reddish in colour. The distilled palm oil methyl esters are obtained after the recovery of minor components (e.g. Carotenes and vitamin E) From the crude palm oil methyl esters. These valuable minor components are preferably to be recovered as they can be sold as value-added products before they are burnt together with the methyl esters as fuel. Although both possesses fuel characteristics which are comparable to those of petroleum diesel, crude palm oil methyl esters are found to exhibit better oxidative stability (rancimat induction period >25 h) than distilled palm oil methyl esters (about 3.5 h). It is attributed to the presence of vitamin E (about 600 ppm), a natural antioxidant in the former. While the distilled palm oil methyl esters contain practically no vitamin E (

The extraction of carotenoids from crude palm oil was carried out in a dynamic (flow- through) supercritical fluid extraction system. The carotenoids obtained were quantified using off-line UV-visible spectrophotometry. The effects of operating pressure and temperature, flow rate of the supercritical carbon dioxide (SC-CO2), sample size of feed used on the solubility of palm carotenoids were investigated. The results showed that the extraction of carotenoids was governed by its solubility in the SC-CO2 and can be enhanced by increasing pressure at a constant temperature or decreasing temperature at a constant pressure. Increasing the flow rate and decreasing the sample size can reduce the extraction time but do not enhance the solubility. Palm carotenoids have very low solubility in SC-CO2 in the range of 1.31 x 10-4 g kg-1 to 1.58 x 10-3 g kg-1 for the conditions investigated in this study. The experimental data obtained were compared with those published by other workers and correlated by a density-based equation as proposed by Chrastil.

Crude palm oil contains 600 to 1000 ppm of tocols in the form of tocopherols and tocotrienols. These palm tocols have been isolated and analyzed in the past by various chromatographic techniques such as open column chromatography, high-performance liquid chromatography, as well as thin-layer chromatography. Supercritical fluid chromatography (SFC) has emerged as a more advanced chromatographic technique in recent years. The tocols present in palm oil are successfully isolated using SFC. Identification of these tocols is supported by various spectroscopic techniques such as 1H NMR, 13C NMR, and mass spectrometry.

Methyl esters of vegetable oils have been successfully evaluated as diesel substitute. In the present study, other alkyl esters, namely ethyl and isopropyl esters of crude palm oil and crude palm stearin were synthesized via chemical transesterification reactions and subsequently evaluated for their fuel properties. Generally, these alkyl esters exhibit higher viscosity (4.4×10 −6 m 2 /s–5.2×10 −6 m 2 /s) compared to that of petroleum diesel (4.0×10 −6 m 2 /s). However, compared to petroleum diesel, these alkyl esters exhibit acceptable gross heat of combustion (39–41 MJ/kg). Originated from renewable origin, the low sulfur content in alkyl esters emits much lower SO 2 . These alkyl esters are much safer than petroleum diesel in terms of safety for storage and transportation as they possess high flash points. They may find applications in the fuel industry besides utilization as oleochemicals.

Celine Bouclier and Matthieu Simon contributed equally ; Amandine Hurbin and May C. Morris contributed equally.; International audience; CDK4/cyclin D kinase constitutes an attractive pharmacological target for development of anticancer therapeutics, in particular in KRAS-mutant lung cancer patients, who have a poor prognosis and no targeted therapy available yet. Although several ATP-competitive inhibitors of CDK4 have been developed for anticancer therapeutics, they suffer from limited specificity and efficacy. Methods: As an alternative to ATP-competitive inhibitors we have designed a stapled peptide to target the main interface between CDK4 and cyclin D, and have characterized its physico-chemical properties and affinity to bind cyclin D1. Results: We have validated a positive correlation between CDK4/cyclin D level and KRAS mutation in lung cancer patients. The stapled peptide enters cells rapidly and efficiently, and inhibits CDK4 kinase activity and proliferation in lung cancer cells. Its intrapulmonary administration in mice enables its retention in orthotopic lung tumours and complete inhibition of their growth when co-administered with Abemaciclib. Conclusion: The stapled peptide targeting the main interface between CDK4 and cyclin D provides promising therapeutic perspectives for patients with lung cancer.