The reason for oil cloudiness can be summarized as follows: refined oil, which is clear and transparent immediately after production, becomes cloudy after being stored in a tank for a few days. This is a common phenomenon in oil production. Many factors can cause oil cloudiness. Some are natural and unrelated to product quality, requiring no concern. Others indicate product quality issues that need focused attention and resolution.
Common factors causing cloudiness in refined oils:
Temperature
Some oils have a high content of saturated fatty acids. They are clear and transparent at higher temperatures. When the temperature drops, higher molecular weight saturated fatty acids can transition from a liquid to a solid state and crystallize out of the oil. When the amount crystallized is small, it affects the oil's transparency, making it appear hazy or cloudy. As the temperature continues to drop, more crystals form. The solid fatty acids aggregate and settle to the bottom, causing a clear solid-liquid separation. Eventually, the entire oil may solidify. Common animal fats are solid at room temperature. Some vegetable oils also crystallize at lower temperatures; for example, peanut oil begins to crystallize and cloud around 10°C.
Moisture Content
Refined finished oil is practically water-free, hence clear and transparent. After entering the storage tank, it can be affected by the storage environment. For instance, residual water in the tank is not cleaned properly, humid air enters the tank, where moisture condenses and mixes into the oil, etc. Moisture significantly impacts oil transparency. Based on communication with the user, analysis of their description suggests that humid air within the tank is the likely cause of the cloudiness they encountered.
Wax Content
Different oil varieties have different wax contents. Some oils, like common soybean oil, have very low wax content, and its effect on transparency is negligible. Others, like rice bran oil, have relatively high wax content and are naturally cloudy at room temperature; they must undergo dewaxing to become clear and transparent. We once refined a batch of certain vegetable oil where the clarity index consistently failed to meet standards, no matter the refining process, precisely due to its high wax content.
Besides these three primary factors, oil oxidation/rancidity, phospholipid content, and other impurities may also cause cloudiness. What other factors do you know that might cause oil cloudiness?
Huatai Oil Machinery provides good quality oil mill plant, time & fast delivery, perfect after-sale services, and reasonable price, contact us!
Website: https://www.huataioilmachine.com/
Source: Email/GFMM
Comment Now