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The Renewable Energy Directive (RED II) by the European Union (EU) provides an updated framework for the use of renewable energy in the EU transport sector until 2030, and bans the use of biofuels with a high risk of causing indirect land‐use change in high carbon stock areas (high ILUC‐risk criteria). The only biofuel feedstock affected by this criterion is palm oil. We employ the computable general equilibrium (CGE) model DART‐BIO for a scenario‐based policy analysis and evaluate a phase‐out of palm oil‐based biodiesel, and an additional phase‐out of soy oil‐based biodiesel in the EU. Our results show that the palm phase‐out has only a relatively small impact on global palm fruit production and total crop land use in tropical and subtropical regions, while the soy phase‐out leads to a comparable stronger decrease in global soy production, and a reduction in total cropland use in soy‐producing regions. Both policies lead to increased oilseed production in the EU. Therefore, farmer in Malaysia and Indonesia face a significantly reduced income. While European farmers profit the most, EU firms and households are confronted with higher expenditures. Finally, this study indicates that unilateral demand‐side regulations for a single good in a single sector is not sufficient for effective environmental protection. Enhanced binding sustainability criteria and certification schemes for the use of all vegetable oils in every sector and industry as well as improved protection schemes for sensible forest areas are necessary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pigments consumed in grazing give the milk from dual-purpose cows raised in tropical conditions a yellowish color, affecting the quality and price of the milk. This study aimed to develop an economical method with supplementary pectin to antagonize the availability of carotenes by designing microparticles with shellac and palm oil as a viable alternative to protect pectin degradation against rumen microbes. Three preparations of microparticles based on citrus pectin were synthesized: unprotected (PnP), protected with palm oil (PwP), and protected with palm oil and shellac (PwPL) microparticles. Samples were roughly characterized by spectroscopy and electron microscopy techniques. The effect of PnP, PwP, and PwPL on blood metabolites and physicochemical characteristics of the milk of grazing lactating cows was evaluated through in vivo assays. The release of citrus pectin from microparticles was determined as uronic acids using solutions with distinct pH, whereas its degradation was studied using in situ tests. Results revealed that PnP, PwP, and PwPL are amorphous structures with sizes that range from 60 to 265 nm or 750 to 3570 µm and have surface charges that range from −11.5 to −50.2 mV. Samples exhibited characteristic peaks during FTIR analyses that corresponded to O-H, C=O, and COOCH3 groups and bands within the UV-vis region that indicated the absorption of pectin. The EDS analysis revealed the presence of carbon, oxygen, or calcium in samples. The release of uronic acids was higher at pH 2–3 with PwPL. The in situ degradability of PnP, PwP, and PwPL was 99, 28.4, and 17.7%, respectively. Moreover, PwPL decreased the blood concentration of glucose, cholesterol, and lactate. In contrast, 100 g of pectin per animal daily during the feed process reduced yellow coloring. In conclusion, designing particles protected with lipids and polymers as shellac is an economical method that resists degradation at pH levels greater than five. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to describe the characteristics of the oil palm harvest workforce and socio-economic factors related to the productivity of harvesting labor at PT Task Parenggean. The sample was taken from the harvest labor population of Estate 1, Estate 2, and Estate 3, represented by 95 workers. The data were analyzed using multiple linear regression analysis and processed using SPSS (Statistical Program for Science). The results showed that age, family dependents, work experience, facilities & and infrastructure, and salary significantly affected the productivity of oil palm harvesting workers at PT Task Parenggean. In contrast, the level of education, residence, and premiums had no significant effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heterogeneous catalysts have an edge over homogeneous catalysts for the production of biodiesel due to limitations like nonrenewable nature, reusability, separation, saponification, equipment corrosion, and washing. The potential of marigold petals as an excellent bio-based catalyst was derived and utilized in the present study to produce sustainable palm oil methyl ester. The dried marigold petals are burned to produce ash, then calcined (800°C, 2 h) to prepare the catalyst. SEM, EDX, XRD, FTIR, TGA, and BET characterized the prepared calcined catalyst. The reported catalyst consists of a high percentage of potassium oxide and calcium oxide with a basic strength within 12.1

West Kalimantan Province is one of the provinces that has a large area of oil palm plantations which can become integrated cattle farms. Oil palm plantations provide a source of feed that comes from palm oil processing waste and green grass around the oil palm trees. However, this waste contained not sufficient nutrients if given directly, so needed feed processing to increase the nutrition. The community service team from the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universitas Airlangga carried out activities to increase the knowledge and skills of farmers in processing palm oil waste feed and carried out reproductive examination activities on female cattle. The output target to be achieved is increasing the ability of farmers to make feed from palm oil waste that can sufficient for livestock nutritional needs and increased of reproductive health of cows. This activity held on 20 - 23 July 2023 in Tonang Village, District. Sengah Temila, Kab. Landak, West Kalimantan. The activity was attended by 40 participants consisting of breeders, medical officers and veterinarians from the Dinas Ketahanan Pangan, Pertanian dan Perikanan Kabupaten Landak dan Dinas Perkebunan dan Peternakan Provinsi Kalimantan Barat. The first day's activities were carried out by delivering outreach and training materials on processing palm oil waste feed through silage and fermentation methods, making UMB and UMMB, and carrying out reproductive examinations and treatment of female cattle. The outcomes that have been achieved include increasing farmers' understanding and skills regarding how to make silage and palm frond fermentation, as well as UMB and UMMB as additional feed. Health and reproductive disorders examination of female cattle were carried out on 2 female cattle belonging to the Koperasi Produsen Landak Mandiri and 17 female cattle belonging to the Alam Raya Hijau Group. Based on the examination, data was obtained that 7 cows were pregnant, 1 cow had endometritis, and 11 cows were declared to be in normal reproductive condition. The conclusion that can be drawn from this activity is that the participants' knowledge about the given topic increases and the reproductive health of female cattle can be handled with appropriate examination and treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article correlates the results of three studies carried out between 2019 and 2022, on the situation of women in the context of the palm oil industry, water quality, and the dynamics of expansion of oil palm cultivation, with the period 2010-2020, in seven municipalities of the Northern Lowlands of Guatemala (Ixcán, Sayaxché, Chisec, Raxruhá, Fray Bartolomé de las Casas, Panzós and El Estor). The results of these analyses allow the authors to draw some conclusions that corroborate the complaints of local communities regarding the socio-environmental impacts of this monocrop. The article concludes with the need for the Guatemalan State to exercise its role as guarantor of human and environmental rights. At the same time, the international community must advance in approving regulations that ensure that transnational corporations observe "due diligence" throughout supply chains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The production of oil palm fruit and its derivatives was once the prime mover of the Nigeria's economy a few decades ago, but currently, the country is a net importer of these commodities. The sub-unit holds great potential in terms of job creation, poverty reduction, raw materials for agro-based industries and overall growth of the country's economy. In recent times, the governmenthas articulated and implemented numerous policies, programs and institutions to re-brand the sub-unit but to no avail. Beckoned on these evidences, the study was developed to examine the production trends in this sub-unit and investigate its link with some selected macroeconomic variables as alternative ways of examining the problems of the sub-unit. The research utilized secondary data from the years 1981 to 2023. The data were gathered from the United State Department of Agriculture (USDA), Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO), World Bank, and Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). The properties of the series were tested to confirm their stability. The co-integration of the series was establish by autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) bound F-test. The trends analyses revealed a 1.68%, 3.50%, 4.63%, 4.83%, and 2.19% annual exponential growth in oil palm fruit, palm kernel, palm kernel oil, palm kernel meal and palm oil respectively. The study found significant relationship between the outputs of oil palm fruit, palm kernel, palm kernel oil, palm kernel meal and palm oil and the domestic credit injected in the economy, per capita income, nominal exchange rate, and inflation rate in the short and long run periods. To upsurge the sub-unit production, it is strongly recommended among others that adequate credit facilities should be provided for the production of the primary product (oil palm fruit) and the expanding value chain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study is aimed to provide a detailed overview on the traditional and semimechanized, method of extraction of red palm oil from South - Eastern Nigeria and its applications in food. The study was undertaken in Udi Local Government Area of Enugu State and Umuahia North Local Government Area of Abia State both in South-Eastern part of Nigeria. One village each from these Local Government Areas was selected and four processors each from the villages in the study area were selected, interviewed and observed for processing practices. The processing stages involved harvesting, bunch reception of harvested fruits, fruit removal, bunch sterilization, digestion of the sterilized fruit, extraction of palm oil, clarification of oil and oil storage. These processes help to retain ß-carotene and vitamin E in red palm oil. The unique solid content profile of palm oil, its perfect oxidative stability, high nutritional value and competitive price makes palm oil as one of the most utilized oils by food manufacturers and consumers in the region. The oil yield from the traditional processing method ranged from 15.50 - 15.70%, while that of semi mechanized processing method ranged from 20.40 - 20.70%. This study has revealed that semi mechanized method of palm oil processing had a higher oil yield when compared to the traditional method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluated the effect of varying dietary levels of palm kernel cake (PKC) with high and normal calcium on performance and egg quality of laying chickens. One hundred and ten (110) point-of-lay pullets of the Lohmann Brown strain at eighteen (18) weeks of age were used and the study lasted a total period of 26 weeks. Feeding of birds started when the birds were 18 weeks of age so that age at 1st egg would be recorded, and lasted until birds were 44 weeks of age. Weight of eggs and feed intake records were taken from 24 weeks of age (when the last replicate to lay an egg dropped the 1st egg) until 44 weeks of age (a period of 20 weeks). The birds were divided into five dietary treatment groups of 22 birds per treatment subdivided into two replicates of 11 birds each. Dietary treatments 1, 2 and 3 (T1, T2 and T3) contained 0 %, 20 % and 40 % PKC with 3 % calcium (normal calcium diets) while dietary treatments 4 and 5 contained 20 % and 40 % PKC with 5 % calcium (high calcium diets), respectively. Results showed that age at first egg, laying rate, interior and exterior characteristics of eggs were not affected (P > 0.05) but egg weight was significantly increased (P < 0.05) and feed cost/dozen eggs reduced (P < 0.05) by feeding PKC diets. Egg peelability, off-flavour intensity and degree of likeness were not significantly affected (P > 0.05) by dietary treatment but peelability was enhanced by storage in eggs from layers fed 40 % PKC diets. It was concluded that laying chickens could be profitably produced on diets containing up to 40 % PKC without additional supplementation with calcium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Grown only in humid tropical conditions, the palm tree provides high-quality oil essential for cooking and personal care or biofuel in the energy sector. After the refining process, this demand could cause numerous oil palm biomass waste management problems. However, the emergence of carbon nanomaterials or CNMs could be a great way to put this waste to a good cause. The composition of the palm waste can be used as a green precursor or starting materials for synthesizing CNMs. Hence, this review paper summarizes the recent progress for the CNMs production for the past 10 years. This review paper extensively discusses the method for processing CNMs, chemical vapor deposition, pyrolysis, and microwave by the current synthesis method. The parameters and conditions of the synthesis are also analyzed. The application of the CNMs from palm oil and future recommendations are also highlighted. Generally, this paper could be a handy guide in assisting the researchers in exploring economic yet simple procedures in synthesizing carbon-based nanostructured materials derived from palm oil that can fulfill the required applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Asiatic acid (AA) is a compound isolated from Centella asiatica, which possesses significant antihypertensive activity. Several studies have shown that its hypertensive activity can be attributed to various mechanisms, such as Angiotensin-Converting-Enzyme (ACE) inhibition in the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) pathway. Meanwhile, palm oil (PO) is an antioxidant, which has proven to have synergistic effects with the compound by preventing arterial thrombosis and atherosclerosis. Despite these synergistic effects, AA dosage in antihypertensive therapy has been reported to be relatively high compared to the common synthetic drug captopril. Therefore, this study aimed to produce spray-dried powder of nanoemulsion to enhance the solubility of AA, decrease the possibility of oxidation, and increase its activity. Redispersed AA nanoparticles were also successfully obtained during the synthesis process. Several evaluations were carried out, including particle size, particle distribution, zeta potential, cell viability, and antihypertensive activity in rats to ensure the improvement of physicochemical characteristics and activity as antihypertensive agent. The results showed that AA succeeded in forming nanoemulsion with excipients. In addition, it was encapsulated in a maltodextrin carrier, exhibiting good physicochemical characteristics and safety to the Caco-2 cells. The redispersion of the spray-dried powder yielded nanoparticles with a size of 217.4 ± 10.196 nm. The spray-dried nanoemulsion of AA also had faster effect than non-formulated AA (raw powder) in lowering the blood pressure of hypertensive Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sustainability aspect of the palm oil business strategy is a significant part of dealing with changes in the future. The rest of the processed products that have not been handled perfectly is a form of material loss that reduces income and environmental sustainability. Even though the company has reported and compiled its responsibilities, the actual productivity of the company is much lower because the amount of hidden waste has not been fully considered. This research involves companies introducing material flow cost accounting in tracing and calculating physical resources and financing. This method helps companies to determine the number of negative and positive products as a basis for evaluation for saving resources and reducing environmental impacts through reducing oil losses and increasing yields. This effort will become a competitive advantage and encourage the ability of business actors to increase revenue and reduce waste. Scenarios of improving the quality of fresh fruit bunches, optimizing the sterilization process, and increasing the amount of pulp are adaptive choices in terms of availability and resource capacity. Dissemination of efforts and successes in improving resource efficiency to stakeholders is vital to increasing the value and sustainability of the palm oil business. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Palm oil plays a crucial role in the food industry, industrial applications, and bioenergy, accounting for over one-third of global vegetable oil production. The production area has quadrupled, and the volume is about seven times higher today than in the early 1990s. This significant increase is attributed to several factors, including the oil palm's notably higher yield per hectare compared to other oilseeds, cost-effectiveness, versatility, and excellent manufacturing characteristics. Despite its economic benefits, industrial palm oil production raises substantial ecological and social concerns, such as deforestation, habitat loss, and labor issues. This study presents a comprehensive sustainability assessment that concurrently considers economic, environmental, and social aspects. Through qualitative expert interviews, various stakeholders in the supply chain evaluated the sustainability criteria of palm oil production and application using the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP), a decision support tool helping to analyze, structure, and solve complex decision problems. The results reveal that, on average, the experts consider environmental criteria to be of the highest importance, followed by social sustainability, while economic criteria are of lower significance. However, the approximations regarding the weighting of the criteria showed considerable variations among experts. The AHP priority index for RSPO-certified palm oil is nearly as high as the reference product "EU canola oil"; this observation is consistent with all expert judgments. This study provides an adequate approach to assessing the sustainability of agricultural supply chains, offering practical recommendations for the food industry and policymakers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spent Bleaching Earth (SBE) is solid waste categorized as hazardous waste with code number B413 based on the Republic of Indonesian Government regulation number 101/2014 and number 22/2021. Improper processing of SBE can be triggering spontaneous ignition and pose environmental pollution due to the high of oil content which is about 20-30 %. SBE has the potential to be reused as an adsorbent in the crude oil bleaching process. In this research, the reactivation process was carried out using acid activation and followed by calcination. SBE was successfully reactivated using sulphuric acid (H2SO4) and hydrochloric acid (HCl) with various concentrations (5-20%), then, followed by a calcination process at 600-700°C for 90 and 120 min. The results showed that the physical appearance color of the bleaching earth (BE) after reactivation and calcination at temperatures above 600 °C resembled color of virgin bleaching earth (light brown). The characterization of reactivated spent bleaching earth (RSBE) product using X-Ray Fluorescence showed that the highest percentage value of silica content is 68.28 % and 74.42 %, under the reactivation condition using 15 % H2SO4 (calcination temperature and time at 600 °C and 120 min) and 20 % HCl (calcination temperature at 600 °C, and 90 min), respectively. The characterization results using Brunauer Emmett Teller (BET) analyzer, showed that the surface area of RSBE using HCl 20 % is about 150 m2/g. However, the surface area RSBE with activator H2SO4 15 % (146 m2/g). These results showed that the RSBE with HCl activator has a larger surface area than activator H2SO4, and has good absorption ability. As evidenced by the percentage of bleaching power that the RSBE with activator HCl has 72.92 % higher than RSEBE with activator H2SO4 15 % of 70.73 %. The best adsorption capacities of adsorbent were then tested for its performance to purify crude palm oil (CPO). The result shows that the RSBE met the Indonesian Industry standard (SNI 13-6336-2000) for the bleaching of CPO processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Palm oil biomass-based gasification has become a potential technology to overcome anthropogenic environmental challenges. While physical experimentation is time-consuming and expensive, it can be avoided when determining the best settings for a particular gasifier and the behaviour of palm oil biomass. An Artificial Neural Network (ANN) model was developed to estimate syngas composition (CO and H2) over a wide range of palm oil biomass characteristics and gasifier operating conditions. A vast amount of secondary data comprising both categorical and numerical was gathered for the development of the proposed ANN model. To improve the model's performance, uncorrelated input data were removed using International Business Machines Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (IBM SPSS) Statistics software by utilizing Spearman's Correlation Coefficient (SCC) matrix. Feed-Forward Back Propagation (FFBP) and Levenberg-Marquardt (LM) learning algorithms with one and two hidden layers, as well as a range number of neurons and transfer functions were used to train the network using the ANN toolbox, available in Simulink, MATLAB software. The best-performing network structure was identified based on the lowest Mean-Squared Error (MSE) and highest Regression value, subjected to numbers of network topologies. The developed ANN model is able to accurately predict the output of syngas composition (MSE ≤ 0.1 and R² > 0.8). The results indicated that the ANN model shows excellent model prediction which can aid in the effective operation of biomass gasification under various operating conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transesterification process involves different immiscible substrates includes feedstock oil, alcohol and catalyst to produce fatty acid methyl esters, i.e. biodiesel. However, a poor mixing of the substrates in the transesterification process could lead to a low triglyceride conversion into biodiesel. Appropriate design for mixing is important to promote better surface contact between the substrate to enhance the transesterification reaction. In addition, mechanical assisted mixing system in the intensified process with ultrasonic could help to improve the conversion percentage. In this study, the effect of high frequency ultrasonic in enzymatic transesterification process was investigated. The biodiesel conversion percentage for the enzymatic transesterification of palm oil with methanol via 3 different mechanical mixing systems, i.e., conventional shaking method, high frequency ultrasonic method with and without mechanical stirring, were evaluated. The transesterification reaction was carried out for 12 h at 35 °C with an alcohol-to-oil molar ratio of 6:1, a 10 wt% of liquid enzyme solution, with addition of 16 wt% of water (relative to the weight of enzyme). The results from this study indicated that an enhancement of biodiesel conversion percentage was achieved via high frequency ultrasonic assisted enzymatic transesterification compared to conventional shaking method. The biodiesel conversion percentage obtained via conventional shaking method and high frequency ultrasonic-assisted transesterification processes were 29% and 66%. Meanwhile, the application of additional mechanical stirring into high frequency ultrasonic process further increased the conversion percentage from 66% to 89%. The findings for this study bring a better understanding in high frequency ultrasound assisted enzymatic transesterification. There is a potential reducing the reaction time for enzymatic transesterification with high frequency ultrasound assisted process. This could provide an alternative transesterification process with milder operating conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to investigate the physicochemical properties and crystallisation behaviour of fat blend to obtain a stable formulation of margarine. Liquefied palm oil (PO), palm stearin (PS) and palm kernel oil (PK) were mixed in four different ratios and the properties were analysed based on physicochemical properties (fatty acid composition, solid fat content (SFC) and slip melting point (SMP) and crystallisation behaviour as compared to a commercial margarine. The percentages of fatty acid (FA) composition were varied depending on the variation of type of fat and percentage of fat added. The result showed that PO:PS:PK blends of 70:10:20 gave the closest SMP (39 °C) with commercial margarine followed by 72:8:20, 75:5:20 and 70:15:15. SFC of 72:8:20 and 70:10:20 blends showed the closest to commercial margarine in the temperature range of 20-35 °C. The SFC percentage decreased significantly between 2025 °C. From the crystallisation behavior, 70:10:20 and 70:15:15 showed the closest behaviour with commercial margarine. From the result, the blend with ratio of 70:10:20 was the most suitable fat basis formulation as it has the most similar properties and behaviour with commercial margarine. This formulation can be used as the basis for a stable margarine formulation with addition of anthocyanins from plant-based extract such as roselle extract. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, research on the epoxidation of fatty acids has attracted considerable attention due to the growing demand for eco-friendly epoxides generated from vegetable oils. Commercially available epoxides are primarily derived from petroleum and animal fats, which are non-environmentally friendly sources. Epoxide is a crucial chemical precursor for the manufacture of alcohols, glycols, and polymers such as polyesters and epoxy resin. The optimal process parameters were determined using the one factor at a time (OFAT) technique. This study's purpose is to identify the optimal process parameter for agitation speed in relation to the oxirane ring opening of epoxidized oleic acid. The result at 100 rpm and sulfuric acid as catalyst are the optimal process setting for achieving maximal relative oxirane conversion (93 %). Then, the ring opening formation's identity was validated using Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon-based catalysts were reported to hold advantages such as being cost-effective, eco-friendly while having good stability and high selectivity in catalytic processes. Optimization of sulfonated sago pith waste (s- SPW) catalyst as a starch-rich biomass-derived solid acid catalyst for conversion of palm fatty acid distillate (PFAD) feedstock to biodiesel product was performed in this study. Synthesis condition of s-SPW catalyst was optimized through the design of experiment (DOE) optimization by employing Response Surface Methodology (RSM) using Statistica Software V10.0. Four independent variables for the synthesis of s-SPW catalyst, including carbonization temperature, carbonization time, sulfonation temperature and sulfonation time were studied for the optimization work with the response of biodiesel yield. DOE was carried out by utilizing Central Composite Design (CCD) of 4 factors with 26 runs. The optimum synthesis condition of s-SPW catalyst was found at a carbonization temperature of 338.49 °C, carbonization time of 69.44 min, sulfonation temperature of 156.32 °C and sulfonation time of 7.13 min with a biodiesel yield of 69.51 %. Conversion of PFAD with s-SPW catalyst is a promising, greener and cost-effective synthetic route for biodiesel production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Worsening environmental issues are a result of an increase in the generation of waste palm frying oil (WPFO) and its improper disposal. Due to the enormous volume of WPFO produced by household use and the food industry, new technologies for its reuse in the creation of goods with high economic value are being developed. The use of renewable resources such as WPFO in the polymer industry offers environmental and economic advantages. Deterioration in cooking oil after the frying process is reflected by the decrease in iodine value and increase in free fatty acid (FFA) and acid value. A decrease in iodine value shows a decrease in the content of fatty acids with double bonds and it indicates oxidation of the oil, thus, modification of oil through enzymatic acidolysis is conducted to enlarge unsaturated sites that permit chemical modification. The double bonds and active methylene act as functional sites for the introduction of acrylic polymers. Thus, this research involves adding chemical groups that can polymerize by using WPFO as the precursor. The acrylation process was conducted with the mole ratio of 1:1 (WPFO: acrylic acid) in five neck reactor vessels with nitrogen inlet at 80 °C for 6 h After the purification process, WPFO acrylic prepolymer was blended with tri-functionality reactive diluents and photoinitiator to become photocrosslinkable acrylic films. The film was cured under UV LED light with 85 % light intensity for 5 min. From the characterization result, WPFO can be considered as a potential waste that can be used as a renewable polymer precursor to replace those that are currently derived from petroleum hydrocarbons thus saving crude oil usage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Butyl levulinate (BL) is one of the promising chemicals for biofuel generation especially as an additive for fuel-blending. The BL can be used as a chemical additive for biodiesel-diesel blend in diesel engine. The physical properties (i.e., density, viscosity, and calorific value) and emission characteristics of palm-oil derived biodiesel-diesel blends (fuel blends) (i.e., B7, B10, B15, and B20) with and without the addition of BL were determined in this work. The analysis of gas emission from the combustion of biodiesel-diesel blends in diesel engine was conducted using gas analyser. The effect of varying the volume percentage of BL at 1 %, 3 %, 5 %, and 7 % in the fuel blend was studied in this work using B15 biodiesel-diesel blend as the selected sample. Blended fuel with addition of BL was shown to have improved the fuel blend viscosity while maintaining the density within the optimum range. The calorific value of the fuel blend showed a small reduction with an increase in the percentage of biodiesel in the fuel blend. This indicated that the combustion performance and the energy produced from the varying percentage of biodiesel in the biodiesel-diesel blends would not vary significantly. Therefore, the effect of adding BL on this property was not further investigated. The concentrations of nitrogen oxide (NOx) and carbon monoxide (CO) in the gas emission from the biodiesel-diesel blends showed only a slight increase as the percentage of biodiesel in the blend increased. With the addition of the BL additive, these concentrations showed some levels of reduction. In summary, the presence of BL in the palm oil biodiesel-diesel fuel was demonstrated to have reduced the viscosity of the blend by 4.4 to 6.9 %, and reduced the concentrations of CO and NOx by 19.26 % and 12.22 % during the engine combustion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cellular lightweight concrete (CLC), also known as foamed concrete, has been extensively used in construction for decades. Foamed concrete's properties include low density, excellent thermal conductivity, great workability, and selfcompaction; these features enable foamed concrete to be utilized in various contexts. However, the excessive use of conventional materials in concrete production harms the environment. Therefore, using agro-waste as a material to construct ecologically sustainable structures has numerous practical and financial benefits. Palm oil clinker (POC) is a waste product resulting from solid waste combustion during palm oil extraction. This research focused on the properties of foamed concrete with POC at 0%, 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100% as the fine aggregate replacement to develop lightweight foamed concrete (LFC) with a density of 1300 kg/m3. Besides, the potential of POC powder (POCP) and thermally activated POCP (TPOCP) at 0%, 10%, 20%, and 30% as cement replacements was examined. The development of compressive strength during a 90-day curing period was investigated. In addition, tensile and flexural strengths were assessed and reported, and the elastic modulus of the LFC was discussed. The transport properties of water absorption, porosity, and sorptivity were also investigated. The durability of concrete derivatives can exhibit the product's resistance to chemical attacks and environmental conditions. After 75 days of immersion in hydrochloric acid and magnesium sulfate, the chemical resistivity of the produced LFC was determined by measuring the loss in weight and compressive strength. In addition, the effects of elevated temperatures on the LFC were determined by analyzing the mass loss and compressive strength degradation of specimens exposed to temperatures ranging from 200 to 800 °C. The test results demonstrated that the complete replacement of sand with POC enhanced the compressive strength of LFC by more than 50%. Similarly, POC-based LFC had higher flexural and tensile strengths than normal LFC. Besides, substituting 20% of cement with TPOCP could improve the strength of LFC by 23% during the initial curing days. Utilizing the optimal proportions of POC and POCP could enhance the residual strengths of LFC. Therefore, POC has the potential to be utilized as a fine aggregate and cementitious material to produce sustainable concrete. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The presence of 3-monochloropropane-1,2 diol ester (3-MCPDE) and glycidyl ester (GE) in processed palm oils is of concern, as these oils are widely used for edible purposes. The mitigation method studied here optimizes the removal of chloride through water washing of crude palm oil (CPO), to limit the formation of 3-MCPDE. The contaminant removal obtained via washing CPO supports the quantitative findings. By utilizing 5% water in the washing step, water-soluble chlorides in CPO are removed by up to 76%, resulting in a 71% reduction of 3-MCPDE to within statutory limits. In this study, a linear correlation was developed between the chloride and the corresponding 3-MCPDE with a correlation coefficient (R2) of 0.99. Using the correlations, 1.0 mg/kg of 3-MCPDE in refined, bleached and deodorized palm oil (RBDPO) will be obtained from CPO with 1.2 mg/kg chloride with 7% wash water usage. The study also showed minor GE reduction between 7 and 11% was attained after water washing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diabetes is a chronic metabolic disease, which has affected approximately 10.5% of the global population [1]. The most frequent types of diabetes are type-1 and type-2. The third frequent type is gestational diabetes. The pathogenicity of diabetes is multifactorial and involves various factors such as genetic, food, stress, environmental pollutants, and others, in most of the cases combination of two or more factors are noticed. Comparative studies of the influence of palm oil on the activity of xanthine oxidase (XOD) and free radicals in liver and blood. The research compared the effect of palm oil on carbohydrate metabolism in male rats: in young rats and adult rats. The research compared the effect of palm oil on free radicals in male rats: in adults and juvenile rats. Experimental animal body weight change research, 30 days after palm oil treatment. For this scientific research we utilized experimental animals of the male genus: mice of the Wistar type, small mice (45-60 g) and large mice (160-180 g). Experimental animals were divided into groups of six-eight experimental mice and details are shown in the corresponding part of the results. The results are shown in six figures and two tables. Results indicate an increase in the formation of free radicals in blood plasma, both in experimental juvenile mice and in experimental large mice under the influence of palm oil. Palm oil increases the activity of XOD in blood, both in small animals and in large experimental animals. Palm oil increases the formation of XOD in the black liver in both elderly groups. In all groups during the experiment there was an increase in body weight. Results from studies of the effect of palm oil on carbohydrate metabolism showed changes in glucose tolerance test. Current studies for the first time convincingly demonstrate the risk of using palm oil. Analysis of the results of two studies on XOD and carbohydrate metabolism showed a correlation between increased XOD levels and the development of prediabetes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores different methodologies to select proper doses of three palm-oil-based rejuvenators to restore the properties of the effective binder present in asphalt mixtures with high Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement (RAP) content. Two commercial vegetable-based rejuvenators were also used as reference for comparison. The dose selection methods are based on penetration and softening point in unaged, short- and long-term aged states, and High Temperature Superpave Performance Grade (PGH) verified with Fatigue Low-Temperature Superpave Performance Grade (PGFL). In addition, a novel approach based on the thermodynamic properties of the recycled binder blends (i.e. mix of virgin binder, RAP binder and rejuvenator) quantified through the Surface Free Energy (SFE) measurements was also explored. In all cases, the optimum dose selection was determined by the amount of rejuvenator required to provide equivalent or better properties than the virgin binder in its unaged and aged conditions. The results suggest that the PGH approach verified with PGFL is the most appropriate method to determine the optimum rejuvenator dose. This methodology was initially validated by means of rheological and chemical testing conducted on the recycled binder blends at the selected dose in different ageing states. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The oil palm industry is one of the most important industries for Malaysia's economic growth. Worldwide demand for palm oil is anticipated to increase from 51 million tonnes to between 120 and 156 million tonnes over the next 30 years. However, the industry is highly dependent on foreign labor, particularly in harvesting and gathering fresh fruit bunches (FFBs). Workers must manually determine the FFB's ripeness prior to harvest. Thus, labor shortages, which are exacerbated by the recent COVID-19 pandemic, have had a significant impact on industry productivity. Therefore, in this paper, a system is proposed to identify ready-to-harvest FFB automatically by counting loose fruitlets on the ground. Data collection is performed in one of the smallholder plantation areas. The numbers of trees and fruitlets are 2140 and 490, respectively. The system starts with tree detection using YOLOv5 because of its lightweight model with a minimal computational cost. The tracking of the discovered trees will ensure that each tree is identified just once, and loose fruitlets on the ground will thereafter be found. The number of loose fruitlets detected will be used to infer the readiness to harvest the FFB. The results for the fruitlet detection had mAP of 85.45% while those for the palm tree detection had mAP of 97.79%. On the other hand, at counting thresholds of zero and three, respectively, the accuracy of ready-to-harvest classification is 90.48% and 91.34%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Domestic palm oil consumption in Malaysia increased to about 3.37 million metric tons in 2022. This number is expected to increase further due to population growth and consumer preferences for palm oil cooking oil. However, in 2016, the government withdrew its subsidy on palm cooking oil, increasing its price by 48.9%. Recently, the government proposed to use a floating price for palm cooking oil. These changes have left direct and indirect impacts on food producers and consumers. Therefore, this paper examines the impact of an increase in the price of palm cooking oil on food producers (directly) and consumers (indirectly). This study applied the Leontief price modelling technique and simulated a scenario for the price changes in the production cost. The simulation results indicated that costs and prices changed. The results found that the most significant cost change came from restaurants, 52.0%, while other price changes were from oil palm (29.6%) and restaurants (17.4%). This study also used the profit index to calculate the profit food producers and services gained. Based on this scenario, food producers should revise their prices of goods and services since they still gain profit. It was recommended that the government revise the price of palm cooking oil by providing subsidies or incentives to the food producer or consumer. The fluctuation in palm oil prices impacts the price of palm cooking oil in the market. If the government does not revise cooking oil prices, it will affect food consumers and producers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Nutrition & Feed Technology Journal / Jurnal Ilmu Nutrisi dan Teknologi Pakan is the property of IPB University and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Palm oil production in Southeast Asia often occurs on nutrient-poor, acidic soils converted from primary forest. Both the agricultural conversion and the production of oil palm are subsidised in Indonesia. As well as depleting soil organic C and plant nutrients, agricultural production on these soils can result in the accumulation of trace elements (TEs)—including micronutrients and non-essential trace elements—from the use of TE-containing agrichemicals including phosphate fertilisers and Cu fungicides. We tested the hypothesis that palm soils will have lower C concentrations than forest soils, as well as accumulation of TEs including Cu, Zn and Cd. Soil samples from active and abandoned oil palm plantations in Sumatra, Indonesia, were analysed for general soil properties as well as TE concentrations. Soils were acidic and low in key nutrients, with production likely to be limited by deficiencies of N, P, K, Mg and Mo, present at some sites in mean concentrations as low as 0.021%, 118 mg kg−1, 778 mg kg−1, 1023 mg kg−1 and 0.095 mg kg−1, respectively. Mean organic C was lower (2.0–3.3%) than reported values in nearby forest soils (7.7%). Soils under palm production contained elevated levels of Cu, Zn, As and Pb up to 38, 91, 9.0 and 28 mg kg−1, respectively, likely due to agrichemical use. The correction of nutrient deficiencies in palm production would require significant fertiliser inputs, which would exacerbate TE accumulation and reduce the net economic revenue from oil production. Our data have shown that in the plantations we have sampled, soils have become degraded. These tropical, weathered, and naturally nutrient-poor soils are ill suited to intensive production that requires high ongoing nutrient inputs. These findings have implications for the sustainability of a regionally significant production system across Southeast Asia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wage inequality and land and labor insecurity are critical barriers to sustainable palm oil production among those employed in Indonesia's small-farm sector. Palm oil contract farming, a pre-harvest agreement between palm oil farmers and transnational processors and traders, facilitates smallholder participation in global agro-commodities markets, improves smallholder livelihoods, and promotes local economic development in rural communities. But negative externalities in contract farming can emerge depending on whether corporate guarantors of contract-farm assets manage farmer assets equitably. This study explores how contract farming agreements between smallholder farmers of palm oil and futures traders of palm stocks impact the long-term economic development of smallholder palm oil farming in Indonesia. We examined the relative impact of transnational palm oil corporations on smallholder assets in the Indonesian palm oil industry using annual financial data (2003–2019) from Indonesian commodities trading firms. Temporal trends indicated that oligopolistic market conditions were strongly associated with a growing comparative advantage in palm oil, the asymmetric accumulation of land resources by transnational firms, and excessive firm revenues from palm farmer activities. Our regression modelling results suggested that the comparative advantage in Indonesian palm oil was driven by state-oriented policies such that benefit palm traders but disadvantage smallholder farmers. And, through non-metric multidimensional scaling, we demonstrated that smallholder farmers were inefficiently used by firms to produce palm oil, but that smallholder assets were a significant driver to firm revenue growth. Notwithstanding the adverse consequences on palm farmers, these results indicate a set of unique effects of palm oil contract farming on land and labor security in Southeast Asia. The paper reasons that a system of inequitable contract farming is operating in the Indonesian palm oil industry, whereby smallholder palm oil farmers are trapped by transnational firms into socio-economic farming schemes of low oil yield and non-market activity, thus providing palm firms with lucrative non-market revenue streams. Large transnational trading firms are thereby implicated in the long-run commodification of smallholder land for marginal fruit production while exploiting a farmer's non-market advantages through the manipulation of farmer assets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Addressing tropical deforestation in the palm oil sector involves a diverse range of stakeholders who engage or disengage with each other. Palm oil global value chain (GVC) firms (plantation companies, traders and processors, and consumer goods manufacturers and retailers), as well as nongovernmental organisations, financial institutions, consultancies and certification bodies, pursue their respective organisations' agendas through engagement practices, including through coalitions, in a palm oil sustainability network (POSN). Building on interviews with different stakeholder groups, this qualitative study characterises and critically analyses 'stakeholder engagement' by examining (1) the priority targets for engagement among different POSN stakeholders, (2) how mechanisms and tools are used in POSN stakeholder engagement or disengagement for addressing deforestation, and (3) the implications of stakeholder engagement or disengagement for addressing deforestation. Engagement and disengagement practices are shaped by and reshape GVC governance, with powerful stakeholders emerging as knowledge brokers and norm setters, raising important challenges for how deforestation is addressed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of International Forestry Review is the property of Commonwealth Forestry Association and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The population has increased and resulted in an increase in the demand for energy sources and various types of waste. Palm oil fronds and stems are a type of solid waste which numbers are increasing rapidly due to the expansion of palm oil agriculture. Eco-energy can be used by knowing the water content and ash content. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to determine the water content and ash content of the fronds and stems of palm oil as eco-energy briquettes. The method of this research is an experimental research method starting from the collection of raw materials, drying, testing the water content and testing the ash content. From the results of the study it was found that with a ratio between fronds and palm oil stems, namely 1:1, the water content is 0.21% and the ash content iss 0.30%; a ratio of 1:2 means a water content of 0.23% and an ash content of 0.27%; a ratio of 1:3 means a water content of 0.20% and an ash content of 0.25%; a ratio of 2:1 means a water content of 0.22% and an ash content of 0.29%. All of the briquettes comply with SNI (Indonesian National Standard) where the water content of the briquettes according to SNI (SNI 01-6235-2000) is a maximum of 8% and a maximum briquette ash content of 8%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vegetable fats are complex multi‐component mixtures of triglycerides. Here, the solidification behavior of a few vegetable fats is calculated using the Hildebrand equation. This calculation assumes, in the liquid phase, ideal mixing of the different components, in combination with literature data about the temperatures and enthalpies of fusion of the individual triglycerides. It further assumes a decomposition of the triglyceride blend into binary blends dissolved in an inert solvent. The solid fat content is calculated as function of the temperature, for only all α and only β and only β' crystal modifications. The minor triglyceride components are explicitly included in the calculation. The calculated solid fat contents for cocoa butter, palm oil, inter‐esterified palm oil and palm kernel olein oil are compared to pNMR data, reported in the literature. The standard deviations between calculated and experimental solid fat content lie between 4% and 14%. Temperature ranges are found, in which specific crystal modifications match to the pNMR data for the solid fat content. These temperature ranges are found to be consistent with literature data obtained using x‐ray diffraction. As a by‐product, the calculation presented here, enables the construction of scenarios that describe which triglyceride solidifies in which temperature interval. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: This study discusses the impacts of postruminally infusing palm oil or flaxseed oil in conjunction with propionate or acetate on blood metabolites and hepatic pyruvate carboxylase (PC) and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PCK1) expression. The flaxseed infusion changed plasma C18:3n-3 cis but did not affect PC or PCK1 expression. The palm oil infusion did not affect plasma metabolites or PC or PCK1 expression. Palmitic (C16:0), α-linolenic acid (C18:3n-3 cis), and propionate regulate bovine pyruvate carboxylase (PC) and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PCK1) expression in vitro. The objective of this experiment was to determine the impact of C16:0, C18:3n-3 cis, propionate, and acetate postruminal infusions on hepatic PC and PCK1 expression. We hypothesized that circulating fatty acids alter hepatic PC and PCK1 in lactating dairy cows. Acetate, propionate, palm oil, and flaxseed oil were supplied postruminally to lactating cows (n = 4) using two 4 × 4 Latin square studies. For Experiment 1, cows were infused on an hourly basis with either a bolus of propionate, acetate, or the combination of propionate and palm oil, or acetate and palm oil, and Experiment 2 was similar, but flaxseed oil replaced palm oil. Flaxseed infusions increased plasma concentration and the molar percent of C18:3n-3 cis and decreased C16:0 but did not affect PC or PCK1 expression. Palm infusions did not affect blood metabolites or the hepatic expression of PC or PCK1. The lack of responses to short-chain fatty acid infusions and changes in circulating long-chain fatty acids in mature cattle are not suitable models to study the effects of α-linolenic acid and propionate on bovine PC and PCK1 expression previously observed in vitro. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Improper management of organic industrial wastes, such as empty fruit bunch (EFB) from the palm oil industry and pressmud, i.e., a by-product of the sugar refinery industry can lead to environmental problems. This study aims to investigate the potential of pressmud and EFB as adsorbent materials in wastewater pollution removal. The chemical analysis in this study revealed that the EFB sample contained 7.30% of SiO2, 2.11% of Fe2O3, 1.91% of MgO, 28.02% of CaO, 37.59% of K2O, 1.45% of P2O5, 14.51% of Cl, 4.39% of SO3, and 2.38% of other elements. Meanwhile, the pressmud sample contained 14.32% of SiO2, 1.39% of SO3, 81.71% of CaO, 1.03% of Fe2O3, and the remaining 1.56% of other compounds. The possible adsorption capacities of pressmud and EFB were determined using the Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms. The absorption of Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, and Zn in these samples was analyzed using the Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models. By comparing both models, the research revealed that the Langmuir model provided a more precise description of the adsorption process for the EFB and pressmud samples and was competently compared to the Freundlich model, as indicated by the highest R2 values. The results indicate the potential of EFB and pressmud as promising reactive materials for heavy metal adsorption, and this involves recognizing possibilities for repurposing these economical and sustainable waste materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental, social, and governance (ESG) integration is an increasingly popular and innovative investing strategy that requires companies to be transparent about their ESG practices to facilitate investors' decisions. In the palm oil sector, companies are addressing ESG risks by adopting and disclosing ESG efforts to improve access to financing. This study seeks to broaden existing research on ESG transparency and firms' financial indicators by using firm valuation as a financial indicator and investigating the moderating role of firm size in the palm oil sector. It first investigates whether ESG transparency has a direct positive or negative effect on firm valuation. Transparency is measured using the Zoological Society of London's (ZSL) Sustainability Policy Transparency Toolkit (SPOTT) 2021 assessment, which provides scores for palm oil companies' total, environmental, social, and governance disclosures. Firm valuation is measured by the price-to-earnings ratio (P/E), a widely used ratio calculated by dividing the share price by earnings per share. The study also explores the moderating role of firm size, using accounting-based measures such as revenue and assets, in strengthening the relationship between ESG transparency and firm valuation. The results show statistically significant negative relationships between ESG transparency and firm valuation. Companies with stronger ESG transparency are valued at a discount relative to companies with weaker ESG transparency. Additionally, the results find that firm size plays a moderating role such that larger firms strengthen the negative relationships between all transparency measures and firm valuation. These findings encourage constructive action for various stakeholders and provide implications for future research to support mainstreaming sustainable palm oil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Collaborative governance is increasingly being used as a solution to address climate change and deforestation in the tropics, but its stakeholders face numerous challenges in making it work. This study aims to understand stakeholders' perspectives on the challenges of collaborative governance, focusing on Sabah's jurisdictional approach. We applied the Q-methodology to derive the perspectives of the stakeholders involved. The results revealed three significant perspectives. The first perspective, "participant factors," highlighted that the representation of the 'right' stakeholders and the mandate to make decisions are inadequate. The second perspective, "non-progress in activities," suggests that the lack of accountability hampers the progress of the initiative. The third perspective, "shared understanding," reflects the stakeholders' inability to agree on a common goal. The consensus regarding the collaboration challenge is that the jurisdictional approach initiative is new, and nobody knows how to implement it, emphasizing the need for higher-level government commitment. This study reveals the challenges of collaborative governance in a jurisdictional approach by providing empirical evidence of the diverse perspectives of stakeholders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Palm oil is currently the most widely used fat source for food production, but palm oil production is associated with severe environmental problems. Insect fat from Hermetia illucens larvae might be a suitable alternative fat source, because its production is more sustainable and less harmful to the environment. Thus, the present study investigated the effect of Hermetia fat, as compared to palm oil and soybean oil, on the hepatic lipid metabolism and the plasma metabolome of healthy rats, which were fed diets containing either soybean oil, palm oil, or Hermetia fat for 4 weeks. Growth performance, liver and plasma lipid concentrations, and the expression of hepatic genes involved in lipid metabolism and inflammation did not differ between groups. Plasma metabolomics revealed a clear separation of the plasma metabolomes of the soybean oil group and the other two groups, but not of those of the palm oil and the Hermetia fat group. The present study shows that Hermetia fat exerts no adverse effects on lipid metabolism and inflammatory gene expression in the liver of healthy rats compared to palm oil or soybean oil. Thus, the present findings indicate that Hermetia fat is a safe alternative fat source to palm oil for food production. Palm oil (PO) is currently the most widely used fat source for food production, but insect fat from Hermetia illucens larvae (HF) might be a suitable alternative fat source, because its production is less harmful to the environment. The present study investigated the effect of HF, as compared to PO and soybean oil (SO), on the hepatic lipid metabolism and the plasma metabolome of healthy rats, which were randomly assigned to three groups (n = 10 rats/group), and fed three different semi-synthetic diets containing either SO, PO, or HF as the main fat source for 4 weeks. Feed intake, body weight gain, liver and plasma lipid concentrations, and the hepatic mRNA levels of genes involved in lipid metabolism and inflammation did not differ between groups. Targeted plasma metabolomics revealed 294 out of 630 metabolites analyzed to be different between groups. Principal component analysis showed a clear separation of the plasma metabolomes of the SO group and the other two groups, but no separation of those of the PO and the HF groups. The present study shows that HF exerts no adverse metabolic effects in healthy rats, compared to PO or SO, indicating that HF is a safe alternative fat source to PO for food production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Management & Agribusiness / Jurnal Manajemen & Agribisnis is the property of IPB University and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Journal of Management & Agribusiness / Jurnal Manajemen & Agribisnis is the property of IPB University and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

It is worthwhile to note that using natural products today has shown to be an effective strategy for attaining the therapeutic goal with the highest impact and the fewest drawbacks. In Saudi Arabia, date palm (Phoenix dactylifera) is considered the principal fruit owing to its abundance and incredible nutritional benefits in fighting various diseases. The main objective of the study is to exploit the natural products as well as the nanotechnology approach to obtain great benefits in managing disorders. The present investigation focused on using the powder form of date palm extract (DPE) of Khalas cultivar and incorporates it into a nanolipid formulation such as a nanostructured lipid carrier (NLC) prepared with palm oil. Using the quality by design (QbD) methodology, the most optimized formula was chosen based on the number of assigned parameters. For more appropriate topical application, the optimized DP-NLC was combined with a pre-formulated hydrogel base forming the DP-NLC-hydrogel. The developed DP-NLC-hydrogel was evaluated for various physical properties including pH, viscosity, spreadability, and extrudability. Additionally, the in vitro release of the formulation as well as its stability upon storage under two different conditions of room temperature and refrigerator were investigated. Eventually, different bacterial strains were utilized to test the antibacterial efficacy of the developed formulation. The optimized DP-NLC showed proper particle size (266.9 nm) and in vitro release 77.9%. The prepared DP-NLC-hydrogel showed acceptable physical properties for topical formulation, mainly, pH 6.05, viscosity 9410 cP, spreadability 57.6 mm, extrudability 84.5 (g/cm2), and in vitro release 42.4%. Following three months storage under two distinct conditions, the formula exhibited good stability. Finally, the antibacterial activity of the developed DP-NLC-hydrogel was evaluated and proved to be efficient against various bacterial strains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) is a biodegradable polymer that microorganisms can synthesize amidst non-optimal growth conditions with excess carbon sources. Palm oil, rich in fatty acids, serves as a carbon source for PHA synthesis. The bacterial PHA production can be influenced by carbon concentration in the growth medium. Therefore, determining the optimal concentration of palm oil as a carbon source is crucial for PHA production. Additionally, it is possible to determine the type of PHA generated by bacteria, which can then be utilized as information when processing utilizing the PHA. The experiment employed palm oil concentrations of 0.5%, 1%, and 2% and was carried out for periods of 48, 72, 96 hours. It was discovered that Bacillus sp. strain CL33 and Bacillus flexus strain S5a produced the most effective PHA at a concentration of 25 with an incubation period of 96 hours. The PHA generated by these bacteria was quantitatively analyzed through measurements of total bacterial growth, cell dry weight, and the levels of crotonic acid. PHA types were also analyzed using GC-MS, with monomers including 2-hydroxybutyrate(-2HB), 2-hydroxy-3-phenylpropionate (2H3PhP), 3-Hydroxyhexanoate (3HHx), 3-hydroxyoctanoate (3H2O), and 3-hydroxydecanoate (3HD). The Bacillus sp. strain CL33 yielded a PHA level of 92.23%. Meanwhile, Bacillus flexus strain S5a synthesized a polyhydroxyalkanoate comprising mostly 3-hydroxyhexanoate (3HHx) and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). The monomers used were decamethyltetrasiloxane, dodecamethylpentasiloxane, hexamethylcyclotrisiloxane, octamethylpentasiloxane, and dodecamethylcyclohexasiloxane. The type of PHA produced accounted for 85.93% of the total. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crude palm oil (CPO) is highly abundant in carotenoids. Previous findings found that dry fractionation can concentrate carotenoids from CPO but resulted in a significant loss of carotenoids. Therefore, the present study aimed to utilize solvent fractionation, which offers a better separation efficiency, to concentrate carotenoids from CPO with improved recovery. Computational study revealed a high binding affinity of phytonutrient towards unsaturated triacylglycerols (TAGs) species in olein fraction due to similar polarity. This prediction was further verified with evidence showing strong, positive correlation between the iodine value and carotenoids concentrations of fractionated oil. The difference in binding affinity of saturated and unsaturated TAG towards different solvents can be used as a guide for screening and selection of solvent suitable for recovery of phytonutrient during solvent fractionation. Subsequently, a lab‐scale single‐ stage fractionation study disclosed that crystallization temperature of 15°C, oil to acetone ratio of 1:5 (w/v) for 4 h under agitation at 100 rpm produced olein with the highest carotenoid concentration (637 ppm) and recovery (94%). Subsequent double‐stage fractionation successfully concentrated the carotenoids up to 125% with a recovery of >93%. Conclusively, solvent fractionation provides an effective way to concentrate valuable carotenoids from CPO while minimizing the lost. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sugarcane fiber, coconut fiber and palm oil fiber are the examples of renewable and eco- friendly materials that is usually being implemented as thermal insulation which provides promising alternative compared to artificial options. Previous studies have proven the efficacy of these agricultural by-product in heat insulation for building construction, mechanical system and so on. In those studies, the specimen is in a form of compressed or added with binding agent for further characterization regarding its thermal properties. This study emphasizes on investigation regarding the viability of using coconut peat, sugarcane dregs and palm oil fiber in its dried and uncompressed form as thermal insulation. A temperature difference measurement was conducted to determine the capability of each of the material to retain heat as the result of the material attachment on a surface, without the addition of binding agent. From this study, it was found that each of this material has the capability to retain heat when used as surface insulating element. The sugarcane dregs (dried and uncompressed form) is proven to be most effective in retaining heat, followed closely by palm oil fiber in comparison with the uninsulated control set of experiment.

Achieving net zero emissions to ensure a sustainable future has become increasingly urgent in light of climate change. The palm oil industry in Malaysia plays a significant role in the country's economy but has faced criticism for its environmental impact, particularly in terms of sustainability and greenhouse gas emissions. While the government has implemented policies and initiatives to promote sustainable palm oil production and reduce emissions, there remains a need for a comprehensive and integrated mitigation strategy to help make an informed decision to improve the performance. To address the limitations of the current framework, this study proposes an Integrated Mitigation Strategy Model which incorporates established frameworks of Palm Oil Mill Carbon Accounting (POMCFA) and Sustainability Index (POMSI). This model has been developed based on the superstructure approach, considering a set of mitigation options to improve weak indicators identified through assessments. The selection of these options is informed by a theoretical review of existing literature on factor changes and their impact on emissions reduction. The model is further validated through case studies, ensuring its robustness and reliability. Based on the case study, it reveals that palm oil mill effluent, diesel consumption, and water consumption contribute the most to carbon dioxide equivalent emissions. In terms of sustainability scoring, the environmental aspect obtains the lowest scores compared to social and economic aspects. Weaknesses identified include dust concentration, palm oil mill effluent, and boiler emissions. Using the heuristics of factor changes equation, the mitigation model suggests implementing high-technology boilers as the optimal solution for these weaknesses. With the theoretical and empirical support behind the choice of variables, our model provides a valuable tool for decision-making in achieving net-zero emissions and sustainable palm oil production.

This study investigated the hydrodeoxygenation of palm oil by different oxide nanocatalysts of transition metals α -Fe2O3, NiO, and NiFe2O4, which were synthesized by hot injection. All nanomaterials were characterized by X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and dynamic light dispersion. The catalytic evaluation was performed in a Parr-type reactor at 350°C, 3.5 MPa of H2 pressure, and 3 h of reaction. The liquid product obtained was analyzed by ultraviolet-visible light spectroscopy to identify the n-C16 generated during the reaction. The activity in the deoxygenation of fatty acids to produce n-C16 hydrocarbons has the following order: α-Fe2O3 < NiFe2O4 < NiO.

Indonesia is the largest palm oil producing country in the world with a production volume of nearly 43 million tons/year. The high production of Indonesian palm oil is a new opportunity that needs to be developed in this globalization era to compete with its main competitors. Therefore, an analysis is needed in order to discover the competitiveness of Indonesian palm oil commodity in the main export destination countries. Export is an activity conducted by a country by selling its products abroad using the payment system, quality, quantity, and other sales terms that have been agreed upon by the exporting and importing countries. This study aims to analyze the level of competitiveness of Indonesian palm oil exports in the Asian and European markets represented by six countries: India, Malaysia, Singapore, the Netherlands, Italy, and Spain. The analytical method used is Revealed Competitive Advantage (RCA) to see the comparative advantage and to determine whether the performance of Indonesian palm oil products in the main export destination countries increases or decreases by using the Revealed Comparative Advantage Index (RCA Index) calculation. The data used are secondary data in the form of time series during the period of 2014 to 2020 and cross sections of the main export destination countries of Indonesian palm oil. The results of the calculation of the RCA value show that in the period 2014 to 2020 the RCA value of Indonesian palm oil products in the main export destination countries is higher than one (> 1). Thus, Indonesian palm oil products have a comparative advantage in the main exports of destination countries from year to year. In contrast to the RCA index calculation results in this study, Indonesian palm oil products are still able to show a positive trend every year. This is proven by certain years’ RCA index of the main export destination countries: India, Malaysia, Singapore, the Netherlands, Italy, and Spain is still less than one (1). Hence, it can be said that the performance of Indonesian palm oil products increases or decreases frequently every year in each of the main export destination countries.

Among consumed-vegetable oils, RBDPO (refined, bleached and deodorized palm oil) is indicated containing higher level of 3-MCPDE and GE, which have been classified as potentially carcinogenic and/or genotoxic to human. Those contaminants in RBDPO are formed during deodorization process with high temperature and also correlate with chloride content and quality of CPO as raw material. The maximum limit for 3-MCPDE and GE content in vegetable oil has been set at 2500 and 1000 µg kg-1, and as low as 750 and 500 µg kg-1 when used for production of baby food and cereal-based foods for infants and young children. The mitigation of 3-MCPDE and GE in RBDPO is quite challenging for palm oil refineries in producing a good quality of palm oil in term of sensory, stability, safety, and nutritional value, especially in Indonesia. It has been proven that modification of conventional refining process can reduce the 3-MCPDE and GE content. They are including pre-treatment of CPO by water washing to reduce the chloride content, alkali neutralization to remove any acids present in the oil prior to deodorization, using neutral bleaching earth, adding antioxidants after bleaching to reduce free radical-mediated formation of 3-MCPDE and GE, lowering the deodorization temperature with a longer time, and even double bleaching and/or double deodorization of the palm oil. Post-refining treatment using specific adsorbents is also applied to remove the 3-MCPDE and GE. However, palm oil refineries have to apply combination of several mitigation strategies to adequately reduce the levels of 3-MCPDE and GE, including using good quality of CPO with low FFA, chloride, and oxidized components content.