InfoSAWIT, JAKARTA – The red palm oil can be processed for the household scale. Based on the information from Masyarakat Perkelapasawitan Indonesia (MAKSI), it needs 1 to 4 kilogram of fresh fruit bunch (FFB), pan to cook, (gas) stove, knife, 2 meter - cloth sheet of wot to filter (about 4 FFB), a container, a ballast, dark bottle or layer plastic made of paper to pack.

The Ways

The FFB which has been picked up should be immediately boiled with enough water until it is boiling then it should be poured to the perforated container so the boiled water could be thrown away. Then take water to clean it.

Then peel the fiber of the FFB with a knife, collect every fiber in the filter cloth. The FFB which has shell could be kept so that the shell and the flesh can be taken. The flesh can be eaten or squeezed like coconut oil.

Then wrap the fiber with the filter cloth. Press it and gather the red liquid which is mixed with oil and water. Then cook the red liquid until the oil is separated with the water. The water will evaporate and be no more.

The final step is to cool the separated red palm oil which has no more water inside. After it is cool, it could be put in a bottle, then it is kept in a dark place. For information red palm oil could last for four months.

The Usage of Red Palm Oil

Red palm oil could be used to fry, sauté, as the mixture to food or drink. For example, one spoon of red palm oil could be mixed to food to fulfill the daily needs of vitamin A and E for the kids.

It could be directly drunk about a half of tea spoon in every single day. It could also be used to face cleanser, to massage or scrub the body, and as the therapy aroma.  (T2)