Edible Oil Enterprises: Peanut Oil/Soybean Oil/Olive Oil

I. Customer Pain Points

Edible oil manufacturers (peanut oil, soybean oil, olive oil) face three core challenges in the refining, decolorization, and deodorization processes: pigment residue, persistent off-odors, and excessive peroxide value. These issues directly threaten product quality and shelf life.

Pigment Residue, Unacceptable Oil Color

Crude oil contains chlorophyll (peanut oil, concentration 50-300 mg/L), lutein (soybean oil, concentration 100-500 mg/L), and carotenoids (olive oil, concentration 30-200 mg/L). Traditional "activated clay" can only remove 50% of the pigments, resulting in peanut oil with a Lovibond color value >10 (National Standard GB 1534-2017 requires ≤8 red). A peanut oil factory, a client of Shanxi Xinhua Charcoal Technology, had 5 tons of oil returned due to unacceptable color, resulting in a loss of over 200,000 yuan. Persistent Odors and Shortened Shelf Life: Crude oil contains free fatty acids (peanut oil, concentration 0.5-2%), ketones (soybean oil, concentration 0.1-1 mg/L), and aldehydes (olive oil, concentration 0.05-0.5 mg/L). Traditional steam deodorization can only remove 30% of the odor, resulting in a rancid taste and shortening the shelf life from 18 months to 12 months. A soybean oil factory, a client of Shanxi Xinhua Charcoal Technology, suffered losses exceeding 300,000 yuan annually due to returns caused by odor issues.

Excessive Peroxide Value, Food Safety Risks: Refined oil contains peroxides (peanut oil, concentration 10-30 meq/kg), exceeding the national standard GB 2716-2018 requirement of "peroxide value ≤ 9.9 meq/kg". Traditional adsorption methods cannot remove low concentrations of peroxides. An olive oil factory, a client of Shanxi Xinhua Charcoal Technology, was previously notified by market regulators for excessive peroxide value, resulting in a 10% drop in brand reputation.

II. Application Objectives

Edible oil companies adopt activated carbon for four core objectives, focusing on "color compliance, odor removal, safety compliance, and extended shelf life":
Deep Decolorization to Ensure Color Compliance: Food-grade granular activated carbon (GAC, Φ3-6mm) precisely adsorbs chlorophyll, lutein, and carotenoids in crude oil, achieving a removal rate >99%. Peanut oil's Lovibond color value is reduced to ≤6 (red), soybean oil to ≤8 (yellow), and olive oil to ≤5 (yellow) (better than national standards). A peanut oil factory, a client of Shanxi Xinhua Carbon Technology, saw its color compliance rate increase from 60% to 99% after using this method.

Odor Removal and Shelf Life Extension: Modified activated carbon (loaded with amino groups) adsorbs free fatty acids, ketones, and aldehydes, achieving a removal rate >95% (concentration reduced to <0.01mg/L). Shelf life is extended from 12 months to 24 months. A soybean oil factory, a client of Shanxi Xinhua Carbon Technology, reduced annual return losses by 300,000 yuan.

Lowering peroxide value to ensure food safety: Utilizing the oxygen-containing functional groups (-OH, -COOH) on the surface of activated carbon, peroxides are converted into harmless substances through catalytic decomposition, reducing the peroxide value to <9.9 meq/kg (compliant with GB 2716-2018). A client of Shanxi Xinhua Carbon Technology, an olive oil factory, achieved a 100% peroxide value compliance rate after using this technology, avoiding the risk of being reported for violations.

Reducing refining costs and replacing energy-intensive processes: The operating cost of the activated carbon process is only 1.0-2.0 yuan/ton of oil (half that of activated clay), and it can be regenerated 3-5 times (regeneration cost is 30% of new carbon). A client of Shanxi Xinhua Carbon Technology, a peanut oil factory, reduced its annual refining cost from 500,000 yuan to 200,000 yuan, a reduction of 60%.

III. Application Significance

The application of activated carbon in edible oil enterprises is a core support for their "quality baseline + safety compliance + cost optimization":

Quality Baseline: Globally, 55% of edible oil products are returned due to "color/odor" issues. Activated carbon is one of the few technologies that can simultaneously remove chlorophyll, lutein, and carotenoids while preserving the flavor of the oil, directly preventing "product scrap" (e.g., an oil mill, a client of Shanxi Xinhua Activated Carbon Technology, saved 200,000 yuan/year after using it).

Safety Compliance: In the 2022 food safety report for the edible oil industry, 40% of cases were due to "excessive peroxide value." Activated carbon is one of the few technologies that can reduce peroxide value to within national standards, directly preventing "brand crisis" (one company's market share decreased by 5% due to excessive peroxide value).

Cost Optimization: A soybean oil mill, a client of Shanxi Xinhua Activated Carbon Technology, reduced its annual refining cost by 60% (from 500,000 yuan to 200,000 yuan), equivalent to increasing its gross profit margin by 1.5 percentage points. IV. Application History The application of activated carbon in edible oil enterprises has deepened with the upgrading of oil refining standards and the increasing demand for shelf life:

1960s: Initial Stage Kraft Heinz in the United States was the first to use wood-based granular activated carbon (GAC, Φ3-6mm) to treat peanut oil (containing 100mg/L of chlorophyll). Through adsorption-filtration, the Lovibond color value was reduced from 12 red to 6 red, becoming the world's first case of using activated carbon to improve the color of edible oil.

2020s: Intelligent Stage China's "14th Five-Year Plan for the Development of the Food Industry" requires "edible oil refining yield ≥98%". Activated carbon, combined with an "online color value monitoring + automatic dosing" system, achieves precise decolorization (such as automatically adjusting the GAC dosage based on the chlorophyll concentration of crude oil), reducing operating costs by 25%.

V. Mechanism of Action

Activated carbon solves the problems of "difficult decolorization, strong odor, and high peroxide value" in edible oils through a triple action of "physical adsorption + chemical modification + catalytic decomposition":

1. Physical Adsorption: "Targeted Sieving" of the Pore Structure

Micropores (<2nm): Accounting for 70%-80% of the total pore volume, they adsorb small molecule pigments (chlorophyll ≈ 0.9nm, lutein ≈ 0.8nm, carotenoids ≈ 0.7nm) through van der Waals forces, with an adsorption capacity of 200-300mg pigment/g carbon (3 times that of activated clay).

Mesopores (2-50nm): Serving as "transmission channels," they allow medium-molecular-weight odor substances (free fatty acids ≈ 0.5nm, ketones ≈ 0.6nm, aldehydes ≈ 0.5nm) to diffuse into the micropores. Modified activated carbon has an odor adsorption capacity of 100-200mg/g. 1. **Large Pores (>50nm):** Serving as an "inlet channel," allowing large suspended molecules (>1μm) to enter the activated carbon interior, reducing the load on subsequent filtration.

2. Chemical Modification: Odor Removal through Surface Functional Groups.

The amino groups (-NH₂) on the activated carbon surface bind to free fatty acids (e.g., oleic acid) and ketones (e.g., acetone) through nucleophilic addition reactions, achieving an odor removal rate >95% (concentration reduced to <0.01mg/L).

3. Catalytic Decomposition: Peroxide Value Reduction through Surface Functional Groups.

The oxygen-containing functional groups (-OH, -COOH) on the activated carbon surface catalyze the decomposition of peroxides (ROOH) into alcohols (ROH) and ketones (R₂CO), reducing the peroxide value to <9.9meq/kg (national standard requirement).

VI. Application Methods

Edible oil companies employ a combined process of "crude oil decolorization (GAC) + finished oil deodorization (modified charcoal)," covering all scenarios for peanut oil, soybean oil, and olive oil:

1. Crude Oil Decolorization: Food-grade GAC Adsorption

Applicable Scenarios: Peanut oil (chlorophyll 50-300mg/L, Lovibond color value > 8 red), soybean oil (lutein 100-500mg/L, color value > 10 yellow), olive oil (carotenoids 30-200mg/L, color value > 6 yellow).

Process Steps:

Pretreatment: Crude oil → Filtration (removal of suspended solids, SS ≤ 10mg/L) → Degumming (phosphoric acid treatment, phospholipids ≤ 50mg/L).

GAC Adsorption: Degummed oil enters a fixed-bed GAC tower (filled with coconut shell activated carbon, Φ3-6mm, iodine value ≥1000mg/g), empty bed flow rate 5-10m/h, contact time 20-30 minutes, pigment removal rate >99%, Lovibond color value meets standards.

Separation: GAC and oil are separated by a plate and frame filter press (filter residue carbon content ≤5%).

Key Parameters:

• GAC Specifications: Coconut shell based, heavy metals ≤0.005% (compliant with FDA 21 CFR Part 178.3520);
• Adsorption Capacity: Chlorophyll ≥200mg/g, Lutein ≥300mg/g;
• Oil Loss Rate: <2% (compared to 5% for traditional activated clay).

2. Odor Removal from Refined Oil Products: Modified Activated Carbon Adsorption Column

Applicable Scenarios: Refined oil products (containing 0.5-2% free fatty acids, 0.1-1 mg/L ketones, and 0.05-0.5 mg/L aldehydes).

Process Steps: Refined oil product → Modified activated carbon adsorption column (filled with amino-loaded coal-based charcoal, Φ4-8 mm) → Flow rate 0.5-1.0 m/s → Odor concentration <0.01 mg/L, shelf life extended to 24 months.

VII. Application Process

Taking a peanut oil plant (daily processing capacity of 100 tons of peanut kernels, crude oil containing 150 mg/L chlorophyll and Lovibond color value 10 red) as an example, a client of Shanxi Xinhua Charcoal Technology:

Crude Oil Pretreatment: Peanut kernel pressing → Crude oil (chlorophyll 150 mg/L, Lovibond color value 10 red) → Filtration (SS ≤ 5 mg/L) → Degumming (phosphate addition 0.1%, phospholipids ≤ 30 mg/L).

GAC Decolorization: Degummed oil enters GAC towers (2 units, each with 10 tons of charcoal, coconut shell charcoal Φ3-6 mm), empty bed flow rate 8 m/h, contact time 25 minutes → Plate and frame filtration (filter residue contains 3% charcoal) → Oil Lovibond color value 5 red, chlorophyll < 1 mg/L.

Deodorization and deodorization: Decolorized oil → Steam deodorization (250℃, 0.5kPa) → Modified activated carbon adsorption column (2 units, each with 5 tons of carbon, loaded with amino-based coal carbon Φ4-8mm) → Flow rate 0.8m/s → Free fatty acids <0.1%, ketones <0.01mg/L.

Finished oil bottling: Deodorized oil → Cooling (40℃) → Bottling → Shelf life 24 months (no rancid odor).

Regeneration and reuse: After GAC saturation → Steam regeneration furnace (180℃, 0.3MPa) → Desorption gas sent to boiler for combustion → Regenerated carbon returned to the GAC tower.

After modified carbon saturation → Hot air regeneration (150℃, N₂ protection) → Regenerated carbon adsorption capacity restored to 80% of new carbon.

VIII. Application Effects

After the upgrade, a peanut oil factory saw a significant improvement in its core performance indicators (based on actual operational data from a client of Shanxi Xinhua Charcoal Technology):

Indicators	Before modification (activated clay)	After modification (food-grade GAC + modified charcoal)	Increase/Decrease:	Compliance Status:
Lovibond Color Value (Red)	10	5	50% Decrease	Complies with GB 1534-2017
Chlorophyll Removal Rate (%)	50	99	98% Decrease	—
Free Fatty Acids (%)	1.5	0.08	94.7% Decrease	—
Peroxide Value (meq/kg)	12	8.5	29.2% Decrease	Complies with GB 2716-2018
Shelf Life (months)	12	24	100% Extension	—
Annual Refining Cost (RMB 10,000)	50	20	60% Decrease	—
Annual Return Loss (RMB 10,000)	20	0	100%	—

IX. Core Advantages

Our customized solutions for edible oil companies possess four irreplaceable advantages:
Highly Targeted Products Matching Oil Characteristics: Our developed coconut shell food-grade GAC (Φ3-6mm, iodine value ≥1000mg/g) specifically adsorbs chlorophyll and lutein, achieving a pigment removal rate >99%. The amino-modified charcoal achieves an odor removal rate >95%. After using this solution, a soybean oil factory, a client of Shanxi Xinhua Charcoal Technology, extended its shelf life from 12 months to 24 months.

Achieving Color Standards, Enhancing Product Competitiveness: The color value of our peanut oil (Lovibond) was reduced to ≤6 red, soybean oil to ≤8 yellow, and olive oil to ≤5 yellow (better than national standards). After using this solution, a peanut oil factory, a client of Shanxi Xinhua Charcoal Technology, saw its color compliance rate increase from 60% to 99%, and customer repurchase rate increase by 12%.

Color Compliance, Enhancing Product Competitiveness: Our solutions reduce the color value of peanut oil (Lovibond) to ≤6 red, soybean oil to ≤8 yellow, and olive oil to ≤5 yellow (better than national standards). Compliant and Reliable, with Full Qualification Coverage: The product has passed GB 29215-2012 "Food Additives - Activated Carbon", FDA 21 CFR Part 178.3520, and EU EC 178/2002 certifications, fully meeting global edible oil industry standards. A client of Shanxi Xinhua Carbon Technology, an olive oil factory, achieved a 100% peroxide value compliance rate after using the product.

Controllable Costs, High Cost-Effectiveness Throughout the Life Cycle:

• GAC: Regenerable 3-5 times (regeneration cost is 30% of new carbon), operating cost 1.0-2.0 yuan/ton of oil (half the cost of activated clay);
• Modified Carbon: Regeneration cost is 50% of new carbon, reducing the annual refining cost of a peanut oil factory, a client of Shanxi Xinhua Carbon Technology, by 60% (from 500,000 yuan to 200,000 yuan).

X. Cost Analysis

Taking a peanut oil factory processing 100 tons of peanut kernels per day as an example, the cost comparison between activated carbon technology and traditional technology is as follows: 

Project	Activated carbon (GAC + modified carbon) process	Activated clay + steam deodorization process
Initial Investment (RMB 10,000)	80-120	60-100
Operating Cost (RMB/ton of oil)	1.0-2.0	2.0-3.0
Maintenance Cost (RMB 10,000/year)	15-25	30-50
Total Life Cycle Cost (RMB/ton of oil)	2.0-3.0	5.0-6.0
Oil Loss Cost (RMB 10,000/year)	10	25

XI. Why Choose Us?

Performance Endorsement: Serving edible oil clients such as Shandong Luhua Group, Borges (Spain), and Kraft Heinz (USA), our activated carbon has received unanimous praise for its thorough decolorization and odor removal. For example, a peanut oil factory, a partner of Shanxi Xinhua Carbon Technology, saw its Lovibond color value drop from 10 red to 5 red after using our food-grade GAC, reducing annual return losses by 200,000 RMB.

Technical Strength: Collaborating with Jiangnan University (National Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology), we have developed "Coconut Shell Food-Grade GAC" and "Amino-Modified Carbon," specifically targeting the edible oil industry's problems of "high decolorization, low odor, and low peroxide value"—our products achieve a pigment removal rate >99% and an odor removal rate >95%, perfectly matching the needs of edible oils.

Global Service: With production bases in Shanxi, Ningxia, and Fujian (annual capacity of 45,000 tons), we support "customized production + localized delivery." For overseas clients, we provide a full-process service including "activated carbon selection + refining process design + regeneration solutions," ensuring a response time within 72 hours.