As demand grows for stable, high-energy fat sources in food and animal feed, palm fat powder has emerged as a key ingredient across industries. Its advantages—such as extended shelf life, ease of handling, and excellent thermal stability—make it a preferred alternative to liquid oils. But how is palm fat powder actually made?
In this article, we explore the process of how to make palm fat powder, breaking down each stage of production and explaining why it's gaining widespread adoption in both feed and food applications.
The process begins with high-quality refined palm oil, usually sourced from certified plantations in Malaysia, Indonesia, or Africa. The oil must be free of impurities and moisture to ensure consistency and stability in the final powder form.
For food-grade applications, palm oil may be emulsified with milk proteins or carbohydrates to create a stable oil-in-water emulsion. This helps improve the dispersibility of the powder when mixed into drinks or baking ingredients.
In animal feed, emulsification may be skipped or replaced with blending using inert carriers like calcium salts or starch, depending on the desired energy release and feed compatibility.
The heart of the palm fat powder manufacturing process is spray drying, where the emulsified palm oil is atomized into a fine mist and passed through a hot air chamber. As the droplets fall, the water evaporates, leaving behind dry, encapsulated fat particles.
In some cases, vacuum drying or freeze drying is used for specialized applications that require more delicate processing.
Once dried, the powder is cooled and then passed through sieves to remove any clumps or oversized particles. The result is a uniform, free-flowing powder with high purity and excellent solubility or mixability.
The final product is packed in moisture-resistant, airtight packaging to prevent oxidation and preserve freshness. It is typically stored in cool, dry warehouses, where it can remain stable for 12 months or more.
After production, palm fat powder is used in a wide variety of products, including:
Dairy cattle and poultry feed
Non-dairy creamers and bakery mixes
Instant food products
Cosmetics and pharmaceuticals
Its energy density, shelf life, and versatility make it indispensable across sectors.
Understanding how to make palm fat powder provides insight into why this ingredient is so valued in modern agriculture and food processing. Through a precise combination of refined palm oil, advanced drying techniques, and quality control, manufacturers produce a product that’s not only practical and durable, but also increasingly sustainable—especially when sourced from RSPO-certified palm plantations.
As industries continue to seek reliable and efficient fat sources, palm fat powder is well-positioned to meet the needs of both performance and sustainability.
