Vegetable oil properties after packaging it in HDPE container?
i have a doubt regarding properties of vegetable oil. will it go any crystallization or solidification, after packaging it in HDPE/any container ( due to the presence of moisture or combination of any moisture and gum type accumulation in oil some time after packaging? looking for answer and experiences from oil industry persons. Regards Satya
Hi satyanarayana,
I assume this is a refined, edible, oil in food-grade packaging as sold retail.
i anticipate the textbook answer is it depends on the specifications / shelf life.
Even some refined oils go solid at reduced ambient temperatures as (apparently) per their melting points. i speak from bitter experience. :smile:
It is refined, edible oil in food grade packaging only.
Is there any other reason apart from melting point?
Anyone have any research articles about it / faced this situation when product is kept in ambient temperature?
Regards
Satya
I have used many kinds of oils in laboratory work, and I have seldom if ever seen crystallization. If there is water present, the water may form droplets within the oil because they are immiscible which will look like a contaminant. Oils are routinely kept in all kinds of plastics, and I'd be more worried about the plastic becoming more soft over time (years, not days or months). If there is water, and the bottle is shaken, you will see an emulsion, which looks cloudy, but that's not the same as crystals. Just make sure that your bottles are totally dry. HDPE is pretty heat tolarant, so you can put them into a very warm oven to drive off the water.
Unless you are seeing that in your product, then I would tend to not worry about it.
Martha
One correction in my statement that here I am discussing about pure vegetable oil(i mean not about refined). Will it lead to any wax formation??
Dear Charles,
One correction in my statement that here I am discussing about pure vegetable oil(i mean not about refined). Will it lead to any wax formation??
I assume "pure" means "natural".
I imagine it may depend on the specific situation but possibly yes, have a look at -
https://www.google.c...tents/US5482633
2547PDF.pdf 273.23KB 24 downloads
Is there any chance of formation of wax ? Have you ever had that in your experience?
Dear Martha
Is there any chance of formation of wax ? Have you ever had that in your experience?
No, I have never seen anything form in oils that were fairly fresh, though if you keep it long enough, any oil might polymerize more. The oils (from various sources, both vegetable and 'mineral') that I have used have been in a very purified form. So much of this is probably more dependent on the purity of your oil and not on the HDPE, which is your original question. I think you should be looking at the purity of the oil that you are buying, your storage time and temperatures, and any water contamination of your packaging before you consider that the HDPE is the sole cause of any problems that you see.
Only you know what the source of your oil is, and how crude or purified it is. If you are seeing occasional wax formation, then I would have those batches analyzed to along with batches that did not form wax to see what could be the critical level of wax esters that you can tolerate.
And, I would consider consulting an organic chemist who is knowledgeable of vegetable oil wax chemistry to advise you. You are moving into the realm of organic chemistry, which is a very complex subject. If this is not a huge problem, then you have to do the cost effectiveness analysis.
Martha
I am going through the document you have attached, and please fix the issue with PDF(link is not working)
Dear charles,
i read those references. i suspect they talks about refined oil