In refining of the rice bran oil for edible purpose, neutralization process is carried out mainly to remove
GATE AG - 2018,
Answer: D
Neutralization removes free fatty acids.
Rice bran oil is high in free fatty acids, because lipase in the bran starts hydrolysing the oil as soon as the bran is separated. In alkali refining, the oil is treated with caustic soda, which converts the free fatty acids into soaps (soapstock) that separate from the neutral oil.
Gums and mucilage are removed earlier by degumming, waxes by dewaxing (winterisation at low temperature), and saturated glycerides by fractionation, not by neutralisation.
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